JULY 2021
JULY 2021
Compassion Arts is happy to announce that we will be changing to an online format for the rest of this year moving into the future, for all of our events, including our annual Compassion Arts Festival. Some of our programs will be live-streamed events, others will be pre-recorded videos and many will be held on zoom. The virtual format that began as a necessity during the pandemic has been an opportunity to develop our work in ways we hadn’t imagined until now.
To keep everyone updated on our upcoming projects and the fall program line-up, we are launching a monthly e-newsletter to share about the presenters, artists, educators, and others who will be featured in our upcoming events this year, most notably our main event in the fall COMPASSION ARTS FESTIVAL 2021: THE TEN TRUSTS, which is currently in development. A sneak peek is below of what’s coming this fall but first, check out our news of upcoming events!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Photos Top Row - Alfee West, Jane O'Hara. Donald Vincent
Bottom Row: Joanne Kong, Michael Harren , Allison Argo
New England VegFest
July 31, 2021 | 2:00pm
We are excited to share that Compassion Arts will be presenting a panel for New England Veg Fest’s virtual events on July 31st, 2021 at 2-3:30pm moderated by Alfee West with guest speakers including artist and curator Jane O’Hara, poet, educator and spoken word artist Donald Vincent, classical concert pianist and animal advocacy lecturer Joanne Kong, composer and multi-media performing artist Michael Harren, and filmmaker Allison Argo.
The panel will discuss their own personal journeys for how they came to use the arts as an instrument for animal advocacy and vegan awareness, and will also explore how they’ve used creativity and their artistry in a variety of ways to cultivate compassion for all life. For more information about the panel and about New England vegFest, visit nevegfest.org
Creating Peace Reading Circle
All are welcome to check out our Creating Peace Reading Circle, the fourth Friday of every month for Unity of Central Mass, as part of their Friday Night Spiritual Practice program. Details can be found our website at compassionarts.org.
Upcoming Guests:
6/26 Jane O’Hara on her book “Beasts of Burden: Our Complex Relationship with Animals”
7/23 Spiritual Forum podcast host and author Rev. Carol Saunders on her book “The Forgotten Teachings of Charles Fillmore”
8/27 Animal chaplain Rev. Sarah Bowen on on her book “Spiritual Rebel”
Egrets In Fog © Chris Taylor
Compassion Arts Festival 2021
November 14th–24th
This year’s Compassion Arts Festival ( CAF 2021) is based on THE TEN TRUSTS, inspired by the book “The Ten Trusts: What We Must Do To Care For The Animals We Love” by Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff. Each of this year’s festival events will cover one of the Ten Trusts over 10 days starting on Sunday 11/14 thru Tuesday 11/23, and closing with a virtual Thanks-Living event on Wednesday 11/24 hosted by a co-partnered project, Vegans of New England.
Included below is a list of The Ten Trusts, followed by a general overview of the events that will be representing them. In the coming months, we will introduce and spotlight each one of the presenters and participants for all of these festival events, in feature articles in the newsletter at the end of every month. The newsletters will also share more details about all of the festival programs, which will be posted over the summer on the website and listed in detail by Sept.
CAF 2021: THE TEN TRUSTS
THE TEN TRUSTS & PROGRAM SCHEDULE
“The Ten Trusts” from the book by Jane Goodall & Marc Bekoff
The First Trust: Rejoice that We Are Part of the Animal Kingdom
Sun 11/14: KINDRED SOUL – A virtual House Concert at Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve hosted by musician/performing artist Michael Harren with guest singer-songwriters and recording artists TBA, spotlighting the sanctuary’s work and the animals who call it home.
The Second Trust: Respect All Life
Mon. 11/15: RESPECT ALL LIFE – A Virtual Concert Piano Performance and Speaker Presentation on compassion for all beings and the Earth we share, by musicians, educators, and advocates Dr. Joanne Kong and Dr. Paul Hanson.
The Third Trust: Open Our Minds, In Humility, To Animals and Learn from Them
Tues. 11/16: LEARNING FROM ANIMALS — A Roundtable program hosted by Lisa Levinson with guests, author and animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff, filmmaker Allison Argo, Luvin Arms Sanctuary founder Shaleen Shah, and animal chaplain and author Rev. Sarah Bowen.
The Fourth Trust: Teach Our Children to Respect and Love Nature
Wed. 11/17: TEACHING OUR CHILDREN — Presentations in humane education and creative arts programs for children and young people hosted by Alfee West with guests TBA.
The Fifth Trust: Be Wise Stewards of Life On Earth
Thurs 11/18: THE FIFTH TRUST EXHIBIT — A Virtual Group Art Exhibition of 15 artists by Women Artists for Animals curated by Jane O’Hara and Janell O’Rourke.
The Sixth Trust: Value and Help Preserve the Sounds of Nature
Fri. 11/19: PRESERVING NATURE’S SONG — Offerings in writing, meditation, art & sound, for honoring the natural world, the Earth and animal songs, from John Yunker (Writing for Animals), Dawn Casteel-Lorick (The Listening Project), and artist Linda G Fisher.
The Seventh Trust: Refrain from Harming Life In Order To Learn About It
Sat. 11/20: THE ABSENCE OF UNNECESSARY HURTING — A Persona Poetry workshop in the afternoon by Gretchen Primack and an evening poetry reading program on The Seventh Trust with Gretchen Primack and guest Mandy-Suzanne Wong.
The Eighth Trust: Have the Courage of Our Convictions
Sun. 11/21: THE EIGHTH TRUST — A Virtual Symposium hosted by, and featuring, poet and educator Donald Vincent with guests, readings, and performances TBA.
The Ninth Trust: Praise & Help Those Who Work with Animals and the Natural World
Mon. 11/22: LIFT UP ALL WHO CARE — A virtual mini-conference with films available all day, and an evening program of presentations celebrating those helping animals and caring for nature, hosted by animal advocate and humane educator Marla Andrews.
The Tenth Trust: Act Knowing We Are Not Alone and Live with Hope
Tues 11/23: ACT WITH HOPE — Compassion Arts Podcast launch with co-hosts Ellie Sarty & Alfee West and guest moderator Joanne Kong with roundtable panelists Aryenish Birdie, Jo-Anne McArthur, Martin Rowe and Aysha Akhtar.
Thanks-Living
Wed 11/24: The final day of CAF 2021 will conclude with a virtual Thanks-Living hosted by Marlene Narrow of Vegan Nation, and presented by VEGANS OF NEW ENGLAND - a co-partnered project of Compassion Arts, New England Veg Fest & CompassionFest. A NEW THANKS-LIVING will feature vegan chefs, cooking demos, artists, interviews, music, sanctuaries, and more!
Turkeys © Chris Taylor
Wild Love Photography
Compassion Arts is honored to be able to share the work of vegan nature photographer Chris Taylor of Wild Love Photography, for our 2021 Compassion Arts Festival's poster image, EGRETS IN FOG, as well as several other wildlife photographs from her work that are part of our online festival website this year at compassionartsfestival.org.
Chris Taylor is a photographer, teacher and writer whose extensive digital library of photographs encourages reflection and the celebration of non-human animals of all species and the natural world.An advocate for cultivating respect for wildlife, her candid online writings journal her experiences (2008–present) and document her work through the lens of quietly compelling photographs that allow us to connect with moments in the lives of individuals in nature. To learn more visit wildlovephotography.com