Articles

April 1, 2023

Amateur Cultural Participation

Cultural Participation and Amateur Culture

We will evalute true cultural participation by the perspective of amateur culture to define what participation is in our life. Furthermore, current inpiring works take place in the article to strengthen the participation.

We will talk about the scope of ‘cultural participation’. What does it really mean in our opinion? Thus, dictionary may be a convenient starting point. Oxford Dictionary defines the word of ‘participation’ as ‘to take part in or become involved in an activity’. For sure, words, especially in context of social science, have subjective characteristics. Individual background and experiences shape the ideas.

Is Watching Participation?

Whether watching can be included in participation or not. Can be, or cannot be, that is the question. Are you really get involved in concerts or theatre when you watch these? We also watch television, soccer match, race or the sunrise. Are we involved in these while watching?

Can we make any contribution to them by giving advice to the goalkeeper or redirecting the sun? Seem to hear ‘No Way’ answers.

Watching them, we are like eyewitnesses, bystanders or spectators. Unfortunately, we are not deemed to have participated, by only watching things.

True Participation & Amateur Culture

As for us, participation implies accessibility to be experienced, to touch and feel by grasping. We should be able to accompany with any performance that we are claimed to participate. Only then, we can meditate on the work and thus have a solid grasp on it. To exemplify, not refer to only go to art exhibition and look at the objects, but mean to paint by yourself or at least to acquire an oil painting that you can touch and smell whenever you want.

By experimenting, you will share the gusto and challenges then, sympathize with the artist. Briefly, you will have participated.

If you play violin in a local ensemble, as an audience you will perceive more than the voices in a symphonic concert. The communication between orchestra members takes your attention. Marvellously, you will understand when they make mistake or have trouble by gestures and facial expressions of the conductor and principal viola. By observing how they correct and what is going on, you will crack a smile. That is the moment you are really in.

Consequently, a high quality participation, the true one, requires tasting the things even in an amateur way.

Inspiring Initiatives on Cultural Participation

In terms of touching the art and cultural participation, Arts Council of Wales is inspiring with its Night Out and Collectorplan. While former project supports local volunteers to organise a variety of professional level performances by removing financial risk as the main barrier for groups and organisations. Latter one enables private individuals to borrow money (interest free) for assisting their purchase of art works from the member galleries of the Collectorlan scheme in Wales.

All these necessary for people to taste the art or culture. Such projects are crucial as water & bread to create peaceful and respectful communities. Surely, the Council is a must for every cities of our planet.

All in all, we need to adopt participatory approaches to sustain multicultural societies.

However, the principle of ‘culture for all’ should not be expected from top down policies. It is collectively made soup; all of us have something to add.

The progress of our sense of belonging and confidence depend on healing effects of amateur culture. Even we may sometimes undervalue ourselves across the planet or region; at local level, in our town or apartment we are able to set a good example.

We are shareholders of the culture not passive on it. Join and enjoy ‘amateur culture’. Let’s initiate an irrelevant field, others would say: What’s all that about?