Arts for Social Cohesion (ASC) strengthens relationships of dignity, safety and mutual regard that in turn increase connection and collaboration across differences.

To cultivate these relationships, ASC combines powerful artistic experience with pedagogy to orchestrate conditions making it psychologically safe, easy and fun for people to: be curious, listen generously, get real and connect emotionally in ways that feel alive.

The Center for Combating Antisemitism recently identified ASC as one of three "high potential and high impact…strategic community-based projects well-positioned for moving the needle" toward deeper cross-community understanding. ASC was the sole arts-based initiative.
(Quotes from Center for Combating Antisemitism; Melissa Garlick, Associate Vice President, Center for Combating Antisemitism)

ASC is led by Regie Gibson, inaugural poet laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and composer/educator Guy Mendilow.

WHAT DOES ASC OFFER?

PROCESSES
ASC designs and facilitates cohesion processes — from workshops and crowdsourced poems to lively dinners — carefully architected so people can lower their armor, connect emotionally and understand the experiences bringing a person to see, believe and choose as they do.

PRODUCTIONS
ASC produces live, original multidisciplinary performances. Through powerful spoken word, score and song ASC’s performances explore real-world tales of choices people make in times of personal or societal change, especially unexpected grace in upheaval.

Regie is MA’s inaugural poet laureate. Guy has been arranging for/directing ensembles on international stages since age 13 (e.g., National Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan). Both honed their craft touring and directing on leading performing arts stages since 1998, from Celebrity Series of Boston and “Promised Land” at Oprah Winfrey’s home to the Krannert Performing Arts Center

PEDAGOGY
ASC trains others in our approaches for using the arts to strengthen relationships within and between communities

ASC draws on professorships at Berklee College of Music; Advanced pedagogy degrees; Residency design from the Navajo Reservation and rural Midwest to metropolitan centers since 1996.