The Exponential Arts Workshops multiply the benefits of socially productive creative practices by inspiring their replication in underserved communities. Built on a “train the trainers” model, these workshops offer students, educators, and community leaders the opportunity to learn from exemplary artist-activists who have developed effective methods of conflict resolution, education, and personal development through art. Their ultimate goal is to disseminate these practices through participants who can implement the newly acquired knowledge and methodologies in effective long-term, local projects.

Workshops with distinguished artists and educators are the most important activity for Cultural Agents. This series invited special guests to share techniques and lessons with Harvard based participants, and also in a Boston-area venue with community participants. Exponential arts is our most consistent format for bridging the university with the community through shared lessons in the arts.

EXPONENTIAL ARTS SERIES
Recycle Paper and Prose: Workshop and Lecture Series with Elosia Cartonera and Sarita Cartonera project founders Javier Barilaro and Milagros Saldarriaga.
March, 2007
Javier and Milagros gave a joint lecture to discuss their work with the Cartoneras project in Buenes, Aires, Argentina and Lima, Peru (respectively). The lecture was followed by two interactive workshops, on cardboard bookmaking and the use of creative pedagogical exercises in literary interpretation. The Cartoneras project is the inspiration for Cultural Agent's own publishing house, the Paper Picker Press. The Cartoneras project is the inspiration for Cultural Agent's own publishing house, the Paper Picker Press. We are very excited that the Paper Picker Press will carry out the objectives of the Exponential Arts program during the 2007/2008 academic year.

Breaking the Shell: Arts Literacy Workshop with ArtsLiteracy Project director Kurt Wootton (Brown University).
April, 2007
Kurt led participants in a series of interprative exercises intended to explore the theory and practice behind the ArtsLiteracy "performance cycle". Participants studied examples of this cycle in action in transcultural environments (e.g. extensive project in Brazil where students filled their town square with stories and poetry) and created unique performance cycles of their own using dance, poetry and drama. Kurt is now working in Brazil as director of Habla: Center for Culture and Language.

Techniques of Portraiture: Documentary Photography Workshop with Colombian photographer Nereo Lopez.
November, 2006
Colombian photographer Nereo Lopez held a seminar and critique with Harvard University students to discuss the techniques of "portraiture" in documentary photography. After a stunning display of his own work, Nereo invited students to showcase their own photography and solicit his critique.

The Restorative Intervention,
Winter Institute 2008