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and there is much work to be done. I planted a
seed in my mind that the Arkansas workshop might
be the first gatherings of many in an ongoing
investigation of the intersection of consent and
theatre as civic dialogue. I acknowledged that I
needed help as a designer and facilitator, and that
I could not effectively serve the UCA students or the
Conway and Little Rock community members in an
academic vacuum.
With Your Consent:
Safety and Empowerment in the Arts
W R I T T EN BY CAROLYN MARIE WRIGHT
T
he resurgent tide of the #MeToo
movement and the rise of the #TimesUp
initiative is a call to action for society
to challenge “the gray area” in
conversations on sexual consent – at
home, at work, and in art. Theatre as Civic Dialogue
reveals itself in many forms, and the devised
`theatre model is one form that can be a very
effective way for citizen-artists to create safe space
for critical and creative exploration of sensitive and
potentially daring topics like consent. Recently, I
was invited to Conway, Arkansas by Ozark Living
Newspaper Theatre (OLN) to inaugurate their Arts
and Social Justice Workshop Series, co-sponsored
by the University of Central Arkansas Schedler
Honors College. Over the weekend of February
2-4, 2018, I facilitated a series of events that
focused on consent: A Conversation on #MeToo,
#TimesUp, and Artist Safety with undergraduate
students, and a devised theatre workshop With Your
Consent: Safety and Empowerment in the Arts with
community members and local artists. Following
the community workshop, participants were invited
– with their consent – to share works-in-progress
at OLN’s Unfringed: an evening of puppetry, improv,
and spoken word. I believe in the transformational
and healing power of the arts and theatre as civic
dialogue, and I hope by sharing my facilitation
experience and lesson plan, others may be
inspired to host a gathering or workshop that
continues the conversation on consent locally,
nationally, and globally.
In preparation for the community workshop, I
explored the following questions: “What is consent?
What does consent look, sound, and feel like?
How do we shine a light for those who feel in the
dark?” The definition of consent according to
AffirmativeConsent.com provided a strong baseline
for my workshop research:
“Affirmative consent is a knowing, voluntary, and
mutual decision among all participants to engage
in sexual activity. Consent can be given by words
or actions, as long as t hose words or actions create
clear permission regarding willingness to engage
in the sexual activity. Silence or lack of resistance,
in and of itself, does not demonstrate consent. The
definition of consent does not vary based upon a
participant’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
or gender expression.”
In the planning process, I investigated legislation
like Title IX, historical context surrounding the origin
of #MeToo movement and its founder Tarana Burke,
news stories about recent sexual harassment
and assault allegations in Hollywood, and
documentation of the Larry Nassar court hearing
news connected to USA Gymnastics. The number
of possible focal points for the workshop seemed
overwhelming, and the task at hand became
daunting. Along the way, it became clear to me
that the workshop endeavor was exposing “the
tip of the iceberg” in the conversation on consent,
I took a step back and remembered my time
studying with Michael Rohd and Center for
Performance and Civic Practice at the Sojourn
Theatre Summer Institute, and the next question
revealed itself: “Who else needs to be at the table
for this community conversation to happen safely
and effectively?” I am not licensed as a drama
therapist or social worker or mental wellness
professional, and it was important to me to make
this clear with my participants. Furthermore, I do
not have a pulse on the community conversations
on consent in central Arkansas, and I wanted to be
mindful of boundaries and potential danger zones.
Learning more about my participants and then
providing access to external support and resources
in my workshop design was essential. I reached out
to OLN Artistic Director Adam Frank to connect me
with local personnel who work in therapeutic arts.
A local Arkansas-based dance and movement
therapist graciously took the time to speak with me
over the phone in the beginning brainstorm stage
and offered to review my lesson plan via email.
After consultation, I was mindful that the work
might reveal personal trauma that may require
further medical support, and participation in the
workshop might lead to cathartic or aggravating
memory recall. It was necessary to be prepared
for a spectrum of experiences and reactions in the
room. As a result, contact information for University
of Central Arkansas Counseling Center, Arkansas
Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Time’s Up
Legal Defense Fund was identified and provided for
participants.
My workshop preparation continued with a
strengthened commitment to providing physical
and emotional safety, establishing boundaries,
and engaging in clear, open communication – key
elements that align with consent in both personal
and professional environments. I sequenced a
flexible lesson plan that would allow us to navigate
the topic of affirmative consent in ways that aligned
with the participants’ interests and comfort levels,
as I became more familiar with them in session. In
the end, I declared three key personal goals: (1) to
utilize transparent facilitation; (2) to sequence a
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timeline of exercises with space to “check in” with
the group; (3) to give a voice to participants so they
have agency and influence in deciding the direction
of the work.
On Saturday, February 3, we gathered in the New
Deal Studios and Gallery in Pulaski, Arkansas for
our three-hour workshop: With Your Consent: Safety
and Empowerment in the Arts. The physical space
was prepared: (1) a welcome table for participants
to sign in and provide consent for participation
(also optional media release form for group photo
at end of workshop); (2) chairs in circle; (3) playing
room available adjacent to the chair circle; (4)
complimentary water and snacks in the anteroom;
(5) designated space in the anteroom that served
as “safe zone” if a participant opted to step out
of workshop to refuel or recharge; (6) workshop
objectives posted on chart paper; (7) suggested
bullet points for community agreements posted on
chart paper – to be utilized collaboratively during
workshop as a working document; (8) contact
information readily available for local mental
wellness and sexual assault safety hotlines; (9) all-
gender bathroom facilities; and (10) clearly marked
emergency exits.
After welcoming the participants and giving a
tour of the studio space, we stepped through the
workshop objectives and the ensemble agreements.
I lead participants through a warm up activity,
creative play, and playwriting and performance
activities. First, we navigated how to safely explore
personal narrative surrounding consent in the
creative form of monologues, with the help of a
writing prompt worksheet. Participants had the
choice to share their writing aloud. Prior to sharing