Arts Council and US Consulate combine forces to promote art

The move is intended to have short and long-term benefits

KARACHI:

In an exciting collaboration aimed at enriching the artistic education of students in Pakistan, the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi (ACPKHI) has joined forces with the US Consulate to invite international experts and trainers.

Among the esteemed professionals is Hannah Gaff, an American theatre coach and movement director, who is currently in Pakistan on a Fulbright scholarship. With her extensive experience and expertise, Gaff is set to revolutionise the local theatre scene as the visiting theatre faculty from the United States.

The President of ACPKHI, Muhammad Ahmed Shah, spoke with Express Tribune, shedding light on the purpose behind such collaborations. “We have done collaborations earlier as well in our youth festivals, where we did activities and workshops with American artists before,” stated Shah. “However, that was for one or two days. This is our first long-term association. We collaborate with different countries. We’ve done so with Germans, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese [people] as well.” 

He further continued, “We want to collaborate with different countries and want our students to go there, and their experts come here to teach our students. This is not an exclusive collaboration. We’re open to all countries." 

Gaff, known for her diverse background in theatre creation, “therapeutic clowning”, and teaching artistry, is based in San Francisco. Having taught physical theatre courses and performed worldwide, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for utilising theatre as a transformative tool. Her collaboration with organizations such as Clowns Without Borders, the Medical Clown Project, and ClownCorps has seen her bring laughter and relief to communities facing adversity.

During her tenure in Pakistan, Gaff aims to impart crucial skills and techniques to the students at the Arts Council. “I’ll be working with the students at Arts Council on physical storytelling techniques - how to tell stories with the body,” explains Gaff in a conversation with the Express Tribune. “We will practice character development, clowning, acrobatics, gesture and more. In the community, I will do some movement workshops with women and some clowning and play-based workshops with young people. My hope is to share some tools that allow people to connect more deeply, share stories, and have a greater awareness of their bodies.”

While working closely with the students at the Arts Council, Gaff has encountered both challenges and opportunities. “As always, when I travel and teach,” she says, “I find that I learn just as much from my students if not more than they learn from me. I love getting to know how people create theatre and sharing the passion for this art form with like-minded people around the world.” 

Gaff further continues, “Language can be a bit of a barrier, and also an opportunity. My students are teaching me some Urdu each day! I’m teaching in English and sometimes a student or other teacher will translate. Things move a bit slower with translation, but I love it. My students get a deeper understanding and I get to practice being present and not rushing forward with excitement.” 

Gaff's visit is anticipated to have both short and long-term impacts on the local artistic community. In the immediate future, students will have the opportunity to refine their skills, experiment with different approaches, and expand their artistic horizons. The long-term vision entails a thriving and vibrant theatre scene in Pakistan, driven by the fusion of local and international techniques, and a deep appreciation for the power of storytelling.

Shah has his own long-term vision in mind as well. He states, “We don’t have any fine arts or performing arts institute or university here - not a single one. We are doing this three-year diploma in fine arts, theatre and music. But after 12 years of schooling, students come and get their diplomas, but are not satisfied. My goal is to form a university. For that, I have to strengthen my faculty, infrastructure and syllabus. [Moreover,] if our students want to go there, we will have some collaborations to make it easier for them.”

To aspiring young artists and performers in Pakistan, Gaff offers valuable advice. “I would say that curiosity and movement are key! If you keep your mind and imagination open and curious you can do anything. Learn about everything in the world, try things, spend time off your phone and dreaming. And, don’t worry about making bad work - just create and create and create. Learn through moving and doing even if it’s not perfect. Bring your full self to your work and work hard!”

The collaboration between the Arts Council of Pakistan and the US Consulate, with Gaff's expertise at its forefront, promises to elevate the artistic landscape of Karachi. Through the exchange of knowledge, skills, and cultural experiences, this initiative aims to empower aspiring artists and foster a deeper appreciation for the arts within the community. Moreover, the possibility of Shah’s vision of the creation of an institute opens up avenues for combating waves of extremism under which the nation seems to be drowning. 

“You know the mindset here,” explains Shah. “Even if it’s in a minority, it hijacks our culture. We have three historic ancient civilizations within our land. This is not something new. We take pride in and showcase our heritage. People believe we are a “fundo-nation” or warriors the majority of us are not like that. There is no stronger tool than art and culture.”