What is The Redwood Movement?
The Redwood Movement is a group of over 60 Augustana College students who are committed to connecting with and giving back to the community through creative means. We are creating a documentary film to tell the life stories of students, faculty, staff, and Quad City community members. Along with the documentary, we are composing an artistic stop-frame short film that brings all of the stories together, intertwining the roots. All of the music and all of the artistic short film is created and composed by Augustana students.
We will be hosting multiple screenings of our entire film this Spring of 2012 to raise money for two important organizations in the Quad Cities: 1) The Place2B and 2) The SBC Academy.
The Redwood Movement is a way for us to strengthen the human connection in our community by raising money to promote and encourage artistic and musical expression in the Quad Cities.
Why is The Redwood Movement important to our community?
The Redwood Movement's mission is to strengthen connections in our community through storytelling and artistic expression, but why would these be effective measures to strengthen those connections? Here are some concrete statistics that reflect the positive influence of the arts on education and development:
While these statistics are indicative of the concrete benefits of artistic and musical expression, there are many more benefits that are not as easily measured. A 2005 report by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization, finds that the visual arts are able to benefit not only the individual, but also the community within which that individual resides3:
Benefits for the individual:
1) Artistic expression creates a deeper connection to one's surroundings and provides "new ways of seeing and experiencing the world"
2) Provides an effective nonverbal means of communicating and coping
Benefits for both the individual and the community:
1) Expanded capacity for empathy by experiencing and understanding other people's realities through art
2) Cognitive growth through interpretative learning
Benefits for the community:
1) Shared experience of art intrinsically creates social bonds
2) Art has the ability to convey what whole communities wish to express
The Redwood Movement benefits the community and the individuals involved. Artistic expression and storytelling are effective means for healing, communicating, and developing stronger human connections and understanding. By providing those in our community with the opportunity and the materials to artistically convey their stories, we hope to open up minds and open up hearts through artistic expression and storytelling. We all have a story to tell, so let's listen.
How are the proceeds being used?
1) ThePlace2B: We will purchase musical instruments and art supplies for the youth at ThePlace2B, a shelter for displaced and homeless youth in the Quad Cities. We will extend and share our passion for artistic expression to the community by providing the youth at ThePlace2B with the means to express their own passions through art. The Redwood Movement members will also dedicate volunteer hours at ThePlace2B.
2) The SBC Academy: We will also be benefitting The Second Baptist Church Academy, a program assisted by Dr. Janina Erhlich that connects Augustana musicians with students in Rock Island that might not otherwise be able to afford music lessons. These music lessons enable children and adults alike to learn how to constructively communicate their needs as well as their life experiences. Through The Redwood Movement, a scholarship fund will be established to give even more students the opportunity to study music with the dedicated and passionate students and faculty of Augustana College.
Why we need your support!
The Redwood Movement's mission is to strengthen the connections in our community - this is why we need your help! Local businesses and organizations play a fundamental role in maintaining the stability of our community, and we, The Redwood Movement, need that support as well. Your participation will not only help us in providing artistic and musical materials to the people of the Quad Cities, it will also allow you and your business/organization to gain exposure in the community. Because we are completely student-run, your support and participation as a local business/organization is essential to the success of this project. Any and all support is greatly appreciated.
How you can get involved:
Come to our first screening April 1st, 7:30PM at Centennial Hall (Augustana College)
For our other screening dates and locations, visit our Facebook page or e-mail us to be added to our mailing list.
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For donations, write checks out to Augustana College with "FBO CBR Redwood Movement" in the memo line.
For questions and further sponsorship information, e-mail us at theredwoodmovement@gmail.com
Thank you!
The Redwood Movement
