Punch! Art Empowered
PUNCH! Art Empowered aims to present cultural diplomacy and global citizenship as a way to encourage artists from all fields to use art for mutual understanding. This is accomplished through workshops and exhibitions that involve local artistes, art institutions and partners who share the idea of using the power of art to improve cultural relations worldwide.
PUNCH! was started in 2013 by Melton Fellow Marjorie “May” Garces supported by the Melton Foundation’s Idea Incubator and in collaboration with the Angel Piana Music and Art School and the Arts and Culture Laboratory.
The basic premise of PUNCH! is that if artists use the power of art in the service of their communities, they can deeply affect lives and show the way to understanding, resilience and healing.
PUNCH! organized a series of workshops and exhibitions from May 11 – 18, 2013 in Temuco, Chile. They covered varied topics such as cultural diplomacy; global citizenship; math, music and cultural barriers; art and cultural identity; and the power of art in the construction of global dialogue.
The exhibitions featured musician Cesar Ibacache, painter Eduardo Rapiman and dancer/choreographer Jaime Jory, and coordinator May Garces, who is herself an accomplished singer, painter and dancer.
Although very successful, the PUNCH! team considers the workshops and exhibitions held in Temuco only as a pilot project and is eagerly moving on to phase two of their project where they hope to discuss more about art, use social media to spread their message, and connect with artists, diplomats, academicians and local governments to promote and support art.
PUNCH! was started in 2013 by Melton Fellow Marjorie “May” Garces with the help of the Melton Foundation’s Idea Incubator and in collaboration with the Angel Piana Music and Art School and the Arts and Culture Laboratory.
The basic premise of PUNCH! is that if artists use the power of art in the service of their communities, they can deeply affect lives and show the way to understanding, resilience and healing.