Abstract

This research focuses on teaching methods in community arts programs and projects integrating diverse people through collaborative work. Through giving "Art of Japanese Calligraphy" Workshops, I developed my teaching method focusing on creativity of personal expression through collaborative work. The documentary video of the project shows the active process of the participants' personal creations. The participants were children and adults, some with and some without disabilities. Three workshops were held at L'Atelier d'Artisanat du Centre-Ville Inc. in Montreal, and the participants expressed themselves in their collage artworks with Japanese calligraphy In the first and second workshop, they recreated their names and the natural environment by using the letters, paper and other materials on three pieces of large papers. In the third workshop, the participants collaborated with each other to add details to each other's artwork. In having two types of collaboration, I found that different benefits were achieved However, enabling people to communicate through art in both approaches allowed them to learn to respect and to honour each individual's idea.