cre·ative
[kriːˈeɪtɪv]
ADJECTIVE
relating to or involving the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something:
pro·test
NOUN[ˈprəʊtɛst]
a statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something:
How can these two things work together? Perhaps, when you think of the word ‘protest’ you think of banners, placards and marches. However, under a government that keeps trying to repress these kinds of protests (see Kill the Bill), maybe it’s time we came up with more new ways to protest. ‘Creative protest’ refers to using arts and imagination to come up with new, exciting ways to protest and make statements. That is what this blog is for! Every month we will explore a new way to begin protesting; theatre, art, poetry, events, music and so on (but we wouldn’t want any spoilers yet!).
So, why is protesting in a creative way so important now? I suppose this question is phrased wrong- in fact we should be asking ‘why is protesting in a creative way still so important now?’ Creative protest is not a new idea, but it is one we can utilise now, particularly as social media and the internet means messages presented in new ways can spread globally. The UK government have been trying their very best to shut down protests, and silence opposition. This can be seen in the ‘Police Crime and Sentencing Bill’, which was brought around in 2022, with the aim of harsher policing and punishments on protests and protesters. This set of blogs will aim to create and inspire new ways for your voice to be heard- it is by no means a call to stray away from ‘traditional protesting’, however it will offer new ways to make statements and take action. We will explore examples of eye-catching protests, forms of education, new art and so on. For example, let’s take a look at the work of Banksy. Perhaps one of the most famous political artists, he uses street art to display messages and make political statements. One of my favourites of his is the Paddington Bear mural which reads ‘Migration Is Not A Crime’. Banksy is a prime example of how art and protest can work together, but there have been many examples in recent years. From political theatre, to dance parties outside the White House there are many different ways for your voice to be heard- so for the rest of this year that’s what we’ll be exploring.
Happy protesting!