Art for Rising Awareness - ARA

Manifesto

Whilst European governments tighten restrictions on freedom of speech and expression, ARA constitutes an autonomous and unbiased Platform, where people with different attitudes can speak up concerning various socio-political issues. However, discrimination excludes itself!

ARA welcomes people who weren’t that involved with socio-political issues yet, but who wish to broaden their understanding.

The platform’s main focus is on creative activities like the establishment of 'Exhibitions', 'Films', 'Theater', 'Music'.

The concept is that via engaging with ‘Conflict of Thought’ (the necessity to solve the clash of competing positions by comparing them) enhanced awareness will be created.

In practice this means that each creative program of ARA – if exhibition or theater- will be structured in a way that several different levels of explanations have space to elaborate concerning a critical open-ended question. The aim is not to argue until everybody reaches the same conclusion but to listen to each other as well as to share one’s own perspective so that everyone can make up his/her own mind. ‘Have courage to use your own reason whilst respecting non-discriminating opinion-making decisions of others!’ Thus, each ARA member is encouraged to produce his/her own work that mirrors what they realized during working together with others on joint programs. Hence, all is up to you!

ARA’s final events will then confront the wider public with several different pieces of art, which represent various different stances concerning a specific socio-critical question respectively. This, in turn, will bring the audience into a ‘Conflict of Thought’ position again. With this type of events, spectators have to compare and criticize the perceived. Our aim is to offer the opportunity for real own development of awareness to everybody who contradicts mere adaptation of pre-dictated opinions.

PRA refers to the platform "Art for Rising Awareness"