The fireflies: art, culture and hope in disenfranchised spaces – a Participation Research Group event

This event is organised by the Participation Research Group at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, University of Leeds.

It brings together academics and practitioners to discuss the role of culture in providing new political and social imaginaries, and the impact this has on fostering democracy. In particular, the event will focus on theories and practices engaging in the construction of potential futures, ending with a group discussion on the relationship between art, culture, and hope.

This event is free but ticketed, please reserve your space here.

Panelists:

• Adriana Facina - Adriana Facina is an anthropologist, specialist in urban anthropology, professor at the National Museum/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and visiting professor at the Institut des Hautes Études de l’Amérique latine/Université Sorbonne Nouvelle. She is also a researcher at the National Research Council (CNPq) and at the Rio de Janeiro Research Support Foundation (FAPERJ). 
• Silvia Capanema - Silvia Capanema is an Assistant Professor in Iberian and Ibero-American studies at Sorbonne Paris Nord University. Her research interests include popular suburbs, social movement and cultural collectives, colonialism and imperialism. Both Silvia and Adriana are currently working on a project exploring dynamics of cultural production and hope in the peripheries of Rio de Janeiro. 
• Julia Evangelista, Seethrough Theatre - Dr. Julia Evangelista is an independent researcher in applied performance and community arts, with a focus on the intersections of mental health, carnivalesque practices, citizenship, and cultural participation. She is the founder of SeeThrough Theatre Company, a London-based organisation through which she leads CarnivALL, a project promoting the transformational power of cultural participation and increased visibility of marginalised communities.
• Abel Luiz - Musician and composer, currently collaborating with Seethrough Theatre on their Carnivall project.
• Alice Borchi, University of Leeds – Alice Borchi is a Lecturer in Creative Industries at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries. Her research interests include cultural policy and the study of the cultural commons. She is the author of Commoning Cultural Vale: Building Hope and Resistance in Neoliberal Times.

Schedule

11:00 Arrival

11:15 Panel discussion with music by Abel Luiz

12:30 Break and refreshments

13:15 Group discussion

15:00 End