When We Shine
When We Shine is a collaborative non-profit network, a collection of Multi-Media Artists and Cultural Creatives and Solutionaries committed to civic & social activism that support, foster & celebrate thriving, diverse cultures and communities.
OUR MISSION: To empower communities to live a life they love through the arts and arts integration.
OUR PURPOSE: To implement creative place-making & social artistry to grow strong social networks, utilizing culture & the arts as tools for community building, healing & services, especially as it pertains to women, children and the environment.
OUR VISION: Is a world of integrative, creative, healthy communities where the arts and culture are core components of community planning and development, and the health and well-being of the people and the environment is foremost now, and for future generations. Our vision encompasses our home island of Maui, the state of Hawai’i, spreading our Aloha throughout the world.
“Nothing exists by itself alone. We all belong to each other; we cannot cut reality into pieces. My happiness is your happiness; my suffering is your suffering. We heal and transform together.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Arts Integration
& Education
When We Shine brings multi-media artists and artist educators into classrooms, schools and community organizations in the form of artist residencies, including songwriting and visual arts residencies for individual classrooms or schools, themed educational programs, and teacher trainings. Your event, project or program is customized toward your specific outcomes.
Community Partnerships
When We Shine partners with various organizations within the community to provide many different forms of support: networking, collaboration, creative placemaking, micro-grants, mentoring, and consulting, with the intent to integrate Arts to enrich communities and economic development. We collaborate with schools and school districts, for and non-profit organizations, and corporations.
Arts4Change 2016, Sangam World Center, Pune, India Holi Festival
What lights you up?
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy.”
– Rabindranath Tagore
Our social systems need an upgrade. Culture and The Arts are powerful change agents, holding the keys to transformation. As a global society, our environment, economy, safety and well-being are at extreme risk for most of the population and for our planet. We are on the threshold that necessitates new ways of learning to belong and work together, to build new social systems that can support, galvanize and revitalize our communities. When We Shine was formed to help identify the challenges and the stakeholders, to apply Culture, Arts and Social Artistry to help find the creative solutions we need. Thru the arts, we invite open and fair communication, connection and collaboration. We are Social and Cultural Solutionaries who add value and the extra support needed to those already making successful strides toward healthy environments and wholesome community relations. We are here as Creative Artists to help raise our collective awareness and to contribute toward making our homes, our schools & neighborhoods more beautiful, safe, healthy and resilient for people and our planet, to help us remember who we are and what is possible when we work together…When We Shine!
What is your mission?
How can we help?
ARTISTS are AWESOME
“Artists are the gate keepers of truth. We are civilization’s radical voice.” Artist & Social Activist, Paul Robeson
We commend and recognize Artists for their audacity to dream, commitment to help create dynamic social justice, and dedication to helping make the world a better place …especially for women and girls!
The Arts – whether musical, visual or performing – play an important role in Movements for social change. They serve as a conduit to shift narratives and become records of our social movements.
How Creativity and Culture contribute to community?
1. Artists Bring People to the Conversation
2. Artists Imagine the Possibilities
3. Artists Highlight and Support Existing Assets
4. Artists Can Prototype and Experiment
5. Artists Say What Cannot Be Said in Plain Words
6. Artists Build Innovative Bridges and Spread Ideas
Creative Placemaking
is an evolving field of practice that intentionally leverages the power of the arts, culture and creativity to serve a community’s interest while driving a broader agenda for change, growth and transformation in a way that also builds character and quality of place.
Social artistry
is the method of addressing or recognizing a particular social issue using art and creativity. Social artists are people who use creative skills to work with people or organizations in their community to affect change. It is the art of enhancing human capacities in the light of social complexity. It seeks to bring new ways of thinking, being and doing to social challenges in the world.
Arts Integration and Education
bestows the powers of increased self-confidence and self-understanding, enhanced communication skills and improved cognition. It is a research-based approach to teaching and learning that has proven results for the past 30 years.