hat is the common good? How does democracy help us pursue it? Outside of a high school history classroom, we don’t get many opportunities to grapple with these questions from all angles. The news brings near-daily reminders that our culture and politics is in crisis, which can make it even harder to see the big picture.
Galvan is encouraging people to consider what democracy means to them and inspire them to take action. We aren’t writing a textbook, however: we are creating art. Over the next five years, Galvan will commission a project called The Democracy Cycle, which will include 25 original works of theater, music, and dance exploring the nature of democracy.
From Art, Justice
By exploring democracy’s fragility, how can the performing arts strengthen its resilience?
The Democracy Cycle believes democracy is a goal, a process, an experiment, and an ideal. A passionate conversation. Democracy is not only about how we choose our leaders—it’s also about what kind of society we create. A democratic society must be just and equal for all.
How can art inspire civic action for the well-being of all, especially vulnerable populations and future generations, so that the most-resourced individuals, special interest groups, and corporations do not dominate political representation? How can art help to promote cultural acceptance of compromise, changing one’s mind, and seeing problems from different perspectives? How can the performing arts bring us together instead of dividing us? The Democracy Cycle is eager to help us all find answers to these pressing questions.
