November 2010- May 2011
Funded by the United Arts Council Greater Greensboro Multicultural Arts Investment Program
 |
| Fnu Kthim, Betsy Renfrew, Pastor Y Hin |
Refugees from South and Southeast Asia share a tradition of backstrap weaving, a portable textile technology well suited for use in cramped city apartments with limited space. Women in Guillford County have explained they would like to weave but have no time because resettlement policies fund and prioritize English study and obtaining employment over cultural activities. Backstrap Weaving Project supports language and employment skills, but through a culture-first approach, driven and sustained over time by interests determined by refugee women. Its goal is to create an organizing vehicle for them to sustain backstrap weaving and other textile crafts, to allow identified weavers to meet, train, and determine for themselves how they will teach others in their communities, share technical and artistic knowledge, and learn commercial skills to purchase supplies and exhibit or sell work for profit.
The project builds on our previous work documenting Montagnard weavers, developing art exhibitions, public demonstrations and sales events featuring refugee weaving crafts.
It is designed to overcome formidable obstacles such as low English proficiency, low education and money skills and few American contacts, all of which contribute to chronic, severe cultural and linguistic isolation.
• Ten weavers will share and work on new techniques, share progress and discuss weaving and craft problems.
• The project facilitator will locate a convenient meeting and studio space and help them receive training about how to organize, set goals, and mutually cooperate, compromise and technically execute a plan.
• The facilitator will organize lessons about public speaking, how to determine the sale value of art and craft work through interaction with American artists and craftswomen, how to purchase supplies in bulk, and assist with digital presentation and documentation media. (The latter will be further supported by a grant from the Center for Folklife Documentation Institute.)
• They will practice a slide presentation in their native language to their group and community members about an aspect of textile technique and a second presentation in English to a refugee group different from their own.
• An identified refugee skilled in the making of looms will support the team.
• An identified refugee skilled in retail business and sale of traditional crafts will work with the team to shape a suitable business plan that connects artists and craftswomen with a mainstream audience.
• Project progress will be documented at http://backstrapweavers.blogspot.com
If we reach our goals at the project’s end, we would then seek funding to create a permanent cultural organization capable of sustaining itself through sales, instruction, exhibitions and other activities.
See photos of the project in progress.
See photos of the project in progress.
