An initiative supporting artists that use their creativity to affect positive social change.
Since 2016 LUCKY TRIMMER has invested in daring new projects that incorporate physicality, movement or performance in an effort to create meaningful change in their community, city, country or the world.
Whether an independent artist or collective who demonstrates artistic excellence and uses their practice as an innovative conduit for a social cause, we look for projects that showcase how art’s social dimension, addressing cultural responsiveness and responsibility.
Winning LUCKY CHANGEMAKERS receive a cash grant to support the continuation or realization of the project.
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The Changemakers
Popping for Parkinson’s
Simone Sistarelli // 2016
LUCKY TRIMMER rewarded Simone Sistarelli with the LUCKY CHANGEMAKER grant for his involvement with the Parkinson’s community. The key concept of the Popping for Parkinson classes is to use the Popping dance technique as an innovative therapeutic tool towards improving the physical condition of people affected by the Parkinson’s disease. It is the first time that Popping dance has been used as a tool for medical purposes and the feedback until now has been very positive: Participants do not only get better at moving their bodies, controlling and lessening the tremors but they also gain confidence, feel less socially isolated and have fun. The other factor that influenced LUCKY TRIMMER in rewarding Simone with the grant is that he is offering the weekly class for free and that fundings are necessary for him to continue to do so.
EMBODYING RECONCILIATION MUSEUM
Diana Teresa Gutierrez and Signa Schiavo-Campo // 2016
“Embodying Reconciliation Museum” is a communitarian, collaborative and performative project that aims to make emerge the transformative power of arts, bodies and movement in Colombian vulnerable communities that have been affected by violence or armed conflict. Diana Teresa Gutierrez and Signa Schiavo-Campo facilitate and guide educational, cultural, and therapeutic processes with children and young people who have been affected by traumatic experiences, violent situations, and marginalisation in order to unfold personal and collective stories, memories and wounds. They use movement, dance, music, performance and film-making as modalities to promote social change in these disadvantaged communities. The aim is to empower these communities through recollection of memory, to promote the strengthening of social bonds through artistic practices and to bring a change at a wider level. By fostering reflection and questioning, “Embodying Reconciliation Museum” aspire to break cycles of violence and help rebuilding trust, peace and reconciliation. The LUCKY TRIMMER team was impressed and touched by the compelling initiative of Diana and Signa, their involvement with children and young people of disadvantage communities as well as their sincerity and deep desire to use arts as a tool for reconciliation.
Platform-K
Common Ground // 2017
This year LUCKY TRIMMER honours the work of Platfrom-k Vzw, the only Belgium organisation that provides a professional dance education for people with mental disabilities. The year long program helps them developing their dance skills and their identity as semi-professional dancers. Alongside these educational activities, Platform-K is also a company that creates inclusive dance performances that gather both disabled and non-disabled dancers, breaking into the regular dance scene and giving more visibility to dancers with a disability. Through these creative collaborations with choreographers, Platform-K aims to change an image based on weaknesses into an image rooted in strength and possibilities.
The LUCKY CHANGEMAKER 2017 will support the creation of “Common Ground” by choreographer Benjamin Vandewalle together with one or two dancers with a mental disability from Platform-K. The creation will take place from November 2017 till February 2018.
FOOTPRINTS OF DAVID ARTS
Seaside Cottage Theatre // 2018
Seaside cottage theatre is a community based live theatre project by FOOTPRINTS OF DAVID ARTS for the Bariga community and its environs. This platform was commissioned on the 28th of April 2018 by the First Nobel laureate for literature in Africa, Prof. Wole Soyinka and the Executive Chairman of the Bariga local council Area in order to propagate more, on what theatre can do for the community not what the community can do for theatre. Before now, Theatre troupes/companies in Bariga lacks theatre space/platforms where regular live theatre can be served to there ever ready audience. This cottage theatre is the first and the only dedicated theatre space in the Bariga community and its environment to support professionals and encourage the outburst of amateurs in the area. Bariga has over 49 theatre troupes/companies hence, remains the only LCDA with the highest number of Theatre troupes in Lagos. Due to the numbers of theatre companies in Bariga, we decided to create a quarterly platform where theatre troupes can show case there works to a mixed audience (children and adult). This platform we serve as a means of employment/engagement for the outburst of creative talents in the Bariga community and encourage the community in the culture of live theatre.