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Blank Canvas is a communal art project which encourages individuals, through the use of canvas formations and art supplies, to paint, draw and illustrate their thoughts; regardless of whether or not they describe themselves as skilled artists.
Blank Canvas aims to hold a space for people to explore their creativity and move around the canvas covered walls and complete each other’s lines. With a drive to achieve shared ownership, there is no 'I' in those art pieces, just a fusion of individual and collective expression. We are on a mission to build community through art.
"Community - Nurturing Human Connection - is our survival. We humans wither outside of community. It isn't a luxury, a nice thing; community is essential to our well-being." ~Frances Moore Lappe. We believe creativity is a mode of freedom. In between the walls we build, people are free to express themselves, draw together and get inspired by their surroundings. With the help of the art supplies, people can share stories of what’s in their minds and hearts or of specific topics depending on the type of event.
It all started with a nine-hour road trip in France, when we decided to share a notebook and make a loose rule to complete each other's lines. After moving to Melbourne, we expanded on the idea with, ‘Exit Strategy Studios’, our beloved local art community. To make an actual event, we decided to cover walls with canvas, gather local musicians, and provide fresh home cooked food. Through friends, word of mouth and advertising throughout the city, Blank Canvas was born.
Having proved a great success, Blank Canvas part II was held shortly after. The team was trying to find ways to contribute to the wider community. We decided to frame pieces of the not-so-blank-canvas from the previous event and auction them off to raise funds for a chosen charity. We wanted to help raise awareness on the different charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of sentient beings on the planet, we believe this aligns with ‘Blank canvas’ ethics. There are many charities around the world that are doing noble work, but some not as recognized as others. We want to give a voice to these charities, to support them and help share their message with the world.
Our vision is to introduce different forms of Blank Canvases into the various avenues of the Arts. We aspire to become a portal for creative freedom for communities around the world.Blank Canvas does not have a permanent address, it is a travelling project which caters to the occasion and destination. Our next event will take place at a school in Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi, for a 10th anniversary celebration.
We are always interested in collaborating no matter the scale or setting, so do not hesitate to get in touch so we can help bring your community together through art!
If you'd like to connect with us, you can find us through these social media platforms. FB: www.facebook.com/blankcanvas.community
Instagram:blankcanvas.community
or drop us an email if you fancy a collaboration or even just to say hello: blankcanvas.community@gmail.com