Cultural Democracy
Throughout for-Wards, I aimed for a balanced, if not equal, power distribution between the composer and the community collaborators/composers. It would be naïve not to admit that in all the community-based music projects I have worked on, as a lead artist collaborating with community groups, I am looked at as 'facilitator', despite my best efforts to 'bat' power back. The composer-curator is often the impetus for the work to take place at all, and without them being in the community space would this work happen? I would argue not in many cases.
I have set out to counter these contradictions in my fieldwork by modifying the language I use when working in community settings. I am explicit in communicating with my community groups that our work is a collaboration, that the answers to our creative questions are found within the entire group. Although I have realised that cultural democracy is not one hundred per cent achievable, this has not dampened my ambitions for meaningful process and a mindset that uplifts and respects the ideas and contributions of community collaborators that are of importance during this manner of work.