What’s Possible When the Arts Belong to Everybody | Lear deBessonet with Brian Stokes Mitchell | TED

Summary

The speaker, a theater director, shares her journey from the vibrant Mardi Gras of her childhood in Louisiana to staging 'The Odyssey' with a diverse cast in San Diego. She explores the transformative power of communal spectacle in art, fostering community and overcoming personal challenges. Her Public Works program in New York City unites people from various walks of life in grand theatrical productions, demonstrating the profound impact of arts on health and social cohesion.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The speaker grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where community events like Mardi Gras were filled with spectacle and pageantry, fostering a sense of collective radiance.
• 🎨 The belief that communal gatherings in the realm of imagination are profound and have ancient roots was shared, suggesting their importance in human bonding and survival.
• 🎭 As a theater director, the speaker explores the meaning of spectacles in modern times, particularly when technology can lead to isolation.
• 🌐 Inspired by Mardi Gras, the speaker staged 'The Odyssey' with a large, diverse cast to recreate the feeling of a whole city on stage, emphasizing the inclusivity of the arts.
• 🏆 The production of 'The Odyssey' had unexpected positive impacts on participants, including improved academic performance, health benefits, and employment opportunities.
• 👥 The Public Works program in New York City brings together a diverse community to create large-scale pageants, demonstrating the power of collective art-making.
• 🌟 The speaker highlights that art can bring people from different walks of life together to explore deep human emotions and experiences.
• 🔍 With the help of a linguistic anthropologist, the impact of Public Works was studied, showing similar positive transformations as observed in San Diego.
• 🌐 The World Health Organization recognizes the significant role of arts interventions in health promotion and disease management.
• 🌈 Participation in communal art projects can combat loneliness and social division, fostering a sense of connection and shared humanity.

Q & A

What was the speaker's childhood experience in Baton Rouge, Louisiana?

The speaker grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where everyday life was full of spectacle, especially during the months leading up to Mardi Gras. The community was involved in various activities such as knitting beads into dresses, cooking gumbo, and creating grand carriages for parades.

How did the community come together during Mardi Gras in the speaker's childhood?

During Mardi Gras, the community came together in a collective radiance, with people of all ages, races, and classes dressing up as various characters and participating in parades, singing, and dancing.

Why did the speaker become a theater director?

The speaker became a theater director with the belief that communal gatherings in the realm of the imagination are profound and can lead to personal transformation and community bonding.

What was the significance of staging 'The Odyssey' with a large cast in San Diego?

Staging 'The Odyssey' with a large cast in San Diego was significant because it allowed the speaker to explore the possibility of creating a feeling of a whole city on stage together, drawing from diverse community members to represent different characters and elements of the story.

What unexpected outcomes did the speaker observe after the production of 'The Odyssey'?

After 'The Odyssey,' the speaker observed that participants experienced personal growth, such as overcoming fear and self-doubt, and some experienced tangible benefits like improved academic performance, health benefits, and even employment opportunities.

What is Public Works, and how does it involve the community?

Public Works is a program initiated by the speaker in 2012 that brings together community members from all walks of life in New York City to create large-scale theatrical productions, fostering a sense of community and shared experience.

How does the speaker describe the composition of a typical Public Works production?

A typical Public Works production includes a diverse ensemble of community members, ranging from children to senior citizens, choir singers, dancers, Broadway actors, and even non-professional performers, all contributing to create a city on stage.

What is the 'No Place Like Home' initiative mentioned in the script?

The 'No Place Like Home' initiative is a project where 18 cities and towns across America will simultaneously premiere their own large-scale public artwork, responding to the theme and involving local artists, municipalities, and community health centers.

How does the speaker connect the arts with health benefits?

The speaker connects the arts with health benefits by citing the World Health Organization's findings that arts interventions play a significant role in reducing ill health, promoting good health, and managing and treating diseases.

What is the speaker's perspective on the role of communal art in society?

The speaker believes that communal art, by bringing people together in the realm of imagination, can restore a sense of connection, combat loneliness, and reveal the divine spark in every individual, fostering a sense of collective humanity.