Vibe and creatives elements
Creative actions can have incredible power and impact.
Action Identity
Working closely with your Arts, Action & Messaging teams from the outset of action planning to decide on your Action Identity.
Who is the action aimed at and does it align with our demands?
Create a narrative and make it clear to the public through cohesive visuals and choreography such as banners, flyers, placards, mobile structures, music, drama or speeches.
Balance framing the action visuals with radical participation: space for rebels to bring their own creative expression.
Moodboard/look and feel
ConsiderYou might want to spend some time with planners thinking about how the action should look &and feel of the action.feel. Less is more. Is it colourful, vibrant and fun? Is it dark and sinister? Is it sombre and quiet? What are people wearing? What are the focal points? How will you grab attention? Spending time on this will help bring a beautiful action together that’s visually stunning.
Get inspiration from the Creative A La Carte
Watch this masterclass in Art Activism John Jordan Youtube video
Think about visual framing for photographs and footage. The life of an action spreads online like a ripple effect. The press will respond best to well designed actions with clear messaging and powerful imagery.
Make sure your action promotes XR’s core demands and the action design rather than your own artistry or brand. Balance your own creativity with service to the movement. Aim for sustainable, recycled materials to embody the change.
Art assets
ConsiderOnce ayou colourhave scheme fromagreed the XRaction designmessaging programme,you 2can orthink 3about colourswhat isart good.assets Alsoyou considerneed aand clothing/outfithow designyou orwill ansource easythem? dressWill codeyou make them, buy them, get participants to make them, get arts factory to make them.
Do they need to be hung up (so will need eyelets)? Do they need to be lightweight? Consider the weather and how it will affect your materials and staging. Eg. vinyl banners and waterproof placards hold strong in the rain and have a longer life.
Do you need any props, fake blood or oil? Puppets? Umbrellas? You might want patches made up for everyone to wear. If you are using any equipment/devices, do you want these branded or messaged.
Putting on an arts workshop can be a great way to get stuff made and for people to get excited about the action and make connections with the people that will be taking action with them.
Colour scheme
Consider a colour scheme from the XR design programme, 2 or 3 colours is good. This helps in making assets and graphics that all pull together to make the look and feel that you’re after - the branding. It makes it look more coordinated, as if you know what you’re doing, and easily recognisable.
You might extend the colour scheme to the dress code for wider participants or ask specifically for smart wear or something else more specific.
Performances
Do you want any performances? Is this masterclassa new performance or a performance group that already exists e.g. oil slickers, red rebels, dirty scrubbers, discobedience.
If you are using an existing group make sure you coordinate plans, so they have space to prepare, can suit your timings and know the space they will perform in Artand Activismany Johnother Jordanrelevant Youtube videoinfo.
If it’s a new performance. Get someone to look after this element. They might need outfits sourcing or making. They will need to practice at least once. Bear in mind how the performance will be perceived by your audience. Things that seems obvious to us are often not to your average joe and there’s always a risk that we end up looking like the mad hippies that we actually are!
Rhythms
Rhythms always bring energy to an action and help sustain an action particularly if it is more than a couple of hours long. They attract a crowd and so help with outreach.
Connect up with rhythm links early so they can bring as many drummers as possible and you can plan their activity together. For some actions that have a specific vibe you may want to be more prescriptive about the beat. Eg. for a funeral march you may want a single drummer.