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Musagetes promotes the arts and artistic creativity as tools for social transformation. Musagetes is a catalyst for ideas and actions that make the arts more central and meaningful to peoples’ lives, in order to promote healthier democracies and creative societies; “to start sparks, cause explosions…and make a difference in the world.” The name “Musagetes” was the Greek god Apollo’s title as protector and supporter of the Muses.

Musagetes creates living experiences, some small, some large, that bring people together to articulate social needs, generate ideas, and spark action. Musagetes’ artistic projects consist of aesthetic, social, critical, and pedagogical elements. The critical often takes the form of societal critique, spatial reorganization, or social-justice activism. The pedagogical hones the spirit of contemplation; practices the acts of seeing, listening, and feeling; and investigates forms of articulation. We engage in sense-making processes whereby we begin to understand more deeply how individuals make sense of the art they are experiencing. Our founders believe that art, ideas and culture are essential to the human experience.

One of Musagetes’ programs is ArtsEverywhere, an online platform concerned with the role the arts play in addressing the faultlines of modern society and the deep and perplexing problems that beset contemporary life.ArtsEverywhere is about experimentation with new, revived, and alternative forms, possibilities, and networks beyond the status quo. Itexplores art in relation to public space, economic dignity, community-building, urbanism, and rural dynamics. And it considers art in relation to complex forms of oppression, celebrations of difference, and the possibilities that are present in a deep engagement with complexity. Several lines of inquiry that emerge frequently within ArtsEverywhere include improvisation, relationality & Indigenous knowledge, queerness, feminism, ecological literacy, radical pedagogy & artistic inquiry, imaginative thinking, and economic dignity.

Musagetes is an active partner of IICSI, most notably partnering to co-present the annual Improviser-in-Residence program, which brings world-class improvising musicians into creative contact with community members – including artists and audiences – in Guelph and Kitchener/Waterloo.

Musagetes would like to acknowledge the Chonnontonpeople on whose traditional territory we live and work and offer respect to our Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Métis neighbours as we strengthen our relationships with them.

For more information about this IICSI partner please visit their websites: musagetes.ca and artseverywhere.ca