4Cs Foundation Group Exhibition: Engaged: communities create

When Kate MacLennan defines community art, she says it's all about the process. "It is art that is facilitated by an artist, but read by the community," she says, clarifying that it's art that's displayed or performed in the community for which it was created. "The product is important so people can be proud of their work, but the greater value is on the process of creating the art, and people figuring out what it is they have to say and connecting with each other." As the community arts facilitator for the city, MacLennan was chosen by 4Cs Foundation to curate the current PORTloggia exhibition of community art as part of its Arts Engage! symposium, a week-long training intensive running through June 20. MacLennan called up people around the HRM to find out what community art had been created, then started collecting it for the show. While there are too many pieces to mention, MacLennan hopes the public takes one thing away from them all: "I hope that people will get excited about the quality of work that can be created by community art, that can beautify space but also tell really important stories." –Holly Gordon