Pictured: Oneness of Art workshop, courtesy of Nate Ilardi

Embracing Our Differences (EOD) is presenting the launch of “The Oneness of Art,” a powerful yearlong initiative created by the noted poet and teaching artist Cedric Hameed to unite the community through the power of creative expression. The project’s initial phase, which began in September, will engage community members in interactive poetry workshops. Local visual artists and performers will then take inspiration from the words of workshop participants to create original art across a wide range of mediums, including visual art, music and dance. The initiative will culminate in a community-wide celebration of this creative collaboration.

The project has three distinct phases. For the next four months, Hameed is holding 16 workshops reaching out to a broad section of the community. Participants have been selected from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto counties, Easterseals Southwest Florida Academy, and Second Heart Homes. During each workshop session, Hameed guides participants in the creation of poetry revolving around themes of self-image, self-esteem, fear and triumph. In the project’s second phase, which starts in January 2022, Hameed will share these poems with commissioned artists and performers from Ringling College of Art and Design and others across the region. During this period, these artists will take inspiration from the poetry to create original visual art and performance pieces. At the project’s conclusion, their work will be displayed and performed at various area locations, including museums, public spaces, and partner organization facilities. Local filmmaker Nate Ilardi will document the Oneness of Art initiative from beginning to end. 

Pictured: Oneness of Art workshop, courtesy of Nate Ilardi

To learn more about Embracing Our Differences, visit here