United States Sends Artists Abroad as Cultural Ambassadors
The American government is sending artists , painters and sculptors to other countries as cultural ambassadors . SmART Power is a program started by President Obama’s administration in an attempt to create projects in communities around the world.
The Bronx Museum is in charge of the project. For the museum it is the first chance to send artists to other countries as cultural ambassadors . Up to now the museum has brought artists from many foreign countries to display their work in New York.
Artists who apply for the program must have a concept on what they want to do abroad. They should create a project that is related to a certain topic , including global issues like environment , education, health, violence or freedom of the press.
15 artists will be able to work with students, teachers and other artists in 15 countries, including China, Pakistan, Egypt and Nigeria. Those who are responsible for the project think it will not be very difficult for American artists to work with other people abroad. They may learn new concepts of art and be inspired to do things that they have never thought of before.
One artist who is likely to take part in the program, Mierle Ukeles, does artwork on waste management . In one of her projects she put mirrors into garbage trucks to show the people who are responsible for waste . In another project she organized a truck ballet at a landfill . She can imagine doing similar projects in other countries too. A Mexican artist, Pedro Reyes, melted down guns and turned them into gardening tools .
Government officials hope that those involved in the project will give people abroad more understanding of America and American arts. It might even help to change the way foreigners view the United States. The American government has recently put more and more money into cultural diplomacy . This year it has sent dance groups to Africa and South America.
Related Topics
Words
- administration = government
- ambassador = a person who represents your country in another country
- apply = is you want to take part
- artist = someone who creates art, like paintings and drawings
- attempt = try, effort
- community = neighborhood
- concept = plan
- create = make, organize
- diplomacy = the job of bringing people from different countries together
- display = show
- environment = the world around us
- foreign = not your own country
- freedom of the press = newspapers, television and radio can say whatever they want
- garbage = waste
- gardening tools = something you hold in your hand and use in the garden
- global issues = topics that are important in all countries
- government = the people who rule a country
- in charge = to organize, to be in control of
- inspire = motivate
- landfill = place where waste or garbage is buried under the ground
- management = controlling and organizing something
- melt = to make very hot so that an object becomes liquid
- mirror = a special glass that you look into and see yourself in
- official = a person who is in a high position in an organization
- recently = lately, in the last few months or years
- related = linked , connected to
- responsible = in charge of
- sculptor = someone who produces art objects out of stone, wood or metal
- similar = almost the same
- view = look at
- waste = unwanted materials; things that we do not need after we have used them