Greetings Arts Vote and the Centre for Media and Culture in Education
(CMCE):
My name is Mitch Gold.
I am a social artist. I am also a Peacemaker - and I seek advice from
the following people whom I consider my friends: the leaders on the
planet in this thankless work. Boutros Boutros Ghali, Federico Mayor
Zaragoza, Rodrigo Carazo Odio, Hazel Henderson, Nina Lynn Meyerhoff,
Dr. Charles Mercieca, Dr. Young Seek Choue, Jonathan Granoff, Bawa Jain,
Lama Gangchen, Master Hunbatz Men, Patrick Hendriksen, (White Cloud),
Leonard Crow Dog, Chief Arvol Looking Horse - and many others that are
considered "wise" or learned.
I am also engaged in running for Mayor in the City of Toronto.
As a social artist, I am aware that the Arts community has sent around
a Report card for all candidates running for office. I think this is
a good thing.
But it is not enough. Not nearly enough!.
I want the Artists of this City to look deeply at the Report Cards being
filled in and then decide who to engage with their magnificent talents.
This is what social artistry is about. Report Cards are fine, but they
merely Report the Past - Let us look to the Future.
Let each of the artists write songs, poetry, create dances, movies,
events, pictures, paintings and every kind of social expression on the
candidates.
I am writing this letter and inviting the artists to join in this activity.
This will democratize the election in a beautiful way. Rather than have
the standard - line up the top five people and hear more nothing talking
about nothing - lets have the social artists express their understanding
of what is happening. Let them go to the coffee houses and talk - let
them go to the lounges of theatres - announced - or unannounced and
express their artistry. Let the Street corners become daily events for
the next thirty plus days and create daily news events expressing the
uniqueness of social artistry..
Let us have all artists be part of the election process . Let's do it
wisely. (Let's face it - we do not pay scale! :-) ) But after we are
elected that will be another story.
Actually - for the artists participating in our campaign we will develop
a process for accepting the skill donated as a Campaign contribution
that will be eligible for the Rebate program.)
I am sending a copy of this letter to CMCE - the Centre for Media and
Culture in Education at OISE and requesting their Advisory Board and
steering committee to observe what we are doing as part of their course
activity - either as a volunteer activity - by just posting on their
bulletin Board what it is we are doing and let's see what happens. This
letter is a proposal for their Board to consider a level of Involvement.
Either through volunteer observers, reporters, or participants - to
write, record, and report on the activity that follows form our exchanges.
They could easily do this as an exploratory course. It would not take
much to write the outline.
We need new ways to get the message of democracy out to the people and
to encourage people to vote and to vote wisely.
Of course I have a bias and I want to make that clear. But this is not
just about me. It is about all 45 candidates that have chosen to put
their name forth for this election.. Check their report card. Check
mine. See what I have done - and watch what we will do!!
Mine is posted at www.homeplanet.org/mayorgold. and I encourage you
to "go for the gold" - but I also encourage you to hear what
the others that are running have to say. I will post on our site if
requested by other candidates - their report cards.
Our full strategy will be to encourage people to vote for Mitch Gold.
But lets try and use this purpose for your candidate.
We will offer trainings for people that want to learn more of our platform
and want to engage in developing their "song" "dance"
"improv" or artistic skill.
Howard Jerome - my interim Campaign Manager has donated his skills for
us to have workshops every Thursday Night at #6 St. Joseph Street. We
call it Jump Time - following ideas of Master Teacher Jean Houston.
Jump Time is NOW and you are welcome to come join us at # 6 every Thursday
from 8 PM to 10 PM for Jump Time Training.
All welcome.
In closing, let me ask the Arts Vote People to send this to all their
Artists and let me ask the CMCE Center send this to their steering committee
and lets see what might happen from this initiative.
Trusting this will assist the democratic process and will be a new unique
way to engage Artists and the Citizenry in the Process.
Peace to you all
Mitch Gold
Peacemaker.