Welcome to the Arts "Crossing Borders" Blog

posted by: Cheryl McLean
Canadian Creative Arts in Health, Training and Education Journal

Hello and welcome,

It's a pleasure to welcome you to the Arts and Health, "Crossing Borders" Blog. A little background about my blog, what it's all about and what you'll find here might be helpful for any of you who are new visitors to this site.

The Arts and Health "Crossing Borders" blog began as a "companion" blog for the Canadian Creative Arts in Health, Training and Education Journal . I started the blog back in April 07 as a way to keep in touch with our CCAHTE subscribers about research and new projects underway.
As the blog has evolved I've had an opportunity to feature news and stories on a wide range of topics.

Our work in the arts, health, training and education is uniquely interdisciplinary and the diverse content at the blog reflects the variety of disciplines represented. Here at the blog you can expect a very broad, inclusive even eclectic approach to the posts that are featured as we are "Crossing Borders" into new fields, exploring possibilities along the way. New ideas are welcomed and many of the projects we have featured have been inspired by tips or news from our subscribers across the country who keep me posted about creative cutting edge research or other interesting or related projects underway at the intersections of the arts and sciences. I also try to keep our subscribers up-to-date about international events and happenings. So, as you explore the blog, expect news and announcements, conferences and job postings, links to a wide variety of websites and other blogs, video, project descriptions as well as provocative interviews. We have also featured compelling stories about arts informed research for hope and change, projects making a difference in our cities and communities and summaries from peer reviewed articles that have been published in The Canadian Creative Arts in Health, Training and Education Journal.

Visit this blog with an open mind. There are also spaces for the stories "outside the box" that open the way for inquiry and discussion as well as opportunities to share new visions for progressive work that may be in the formative stages. Consider this meeting place a work in progress. A creative spirit of experimentation and collaboration is encouraged.

Please feel free to scroll down the blog to the archives and you can read up on posts all the way back to April 07. Toward the bottom of the blog you'll find a convenient labels section where hundreds of posts are archived by headings. Check in with us often for updates.

I hope you will find the CCAHTE Arts and Health "Crossing Borders" blog helpful in your own work and I invite you to share the news with colleagues and friends.

All the best, the journey continues,

Cheryl McLean, Editor, Publisher, CCAHTE



Subscribe free to CCAHTE Journal, journal archive and the "Crossing Borders" blog
with an email to ccahte@cmclean.com "please subscribe"

Homelessness, Social Action, Photovoice, Appeal for Cameras and Donations

Urgent! Participate, Act, Get Involved
Help Homeless Persons Voice Their Stories
Support Research Project with
Cameras and Donations


We blogged a story on May 8, 2007 from Toronto,
Ontario, "Researcher Raises
Awareness About Homelessness through
Photodocumentary, Photovoice, Story and Narrative
Methods (refer to post in sidebar) about researcher
and artist Nancy Viva Davis Halifax Ph.D. and her photovoice
project working with homeless persons on the streets
of Toronto with the Street Health Community Nursing
Foundation. Read more
at http://anagraphia.blogspot.com/index.html

This empowering arts informed project helps
homeless and underhoused persons photograph, record and
document true stories about the realities of living
and surviving in downtown Toronto.

"armed with a shoestring budget and cameras that
eventually had to be held together by elastic bands
a group of homeless men and women set out to
document their first hand experiences in Toronto...
Each of the photographs shows a place in a way that
disrupts the central concept of its daily use. "

"These forgotten people, how can we forget

people who are in plain sight? How are we

able to construct an account of life that leaves

them out of any rights
based society where justice matters? How can
we work against the collapse of hope?"
Nancy Viva Davis Halifax, Ph.D. Researcher, Artist

How can you help?

1. Put the cameras in the hands of the people

who can tell the stories. If you have a used camera,

or a new one, wrap it up
and send it today to:

Street Health,
338 Dundas Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 2Al

Attention: Erika Khandor

2. If you are able, send a donation to Street Health,

visit website at www.streethealth.ca and click on "donations"
page for full instructions.

All cheques should be made out to Street Health

and should include
"PHOTOVOICE" in the memo line.

We hope you might consider participating in a very worthwhile

arts informed research project for hope and change.

"If I have my story I'm alive. If I share my voice with others I'm a human being."

CM