Dear Friends of New Village Press,

What a thrill it is to feel our nation waking up to the stirrings of its heart. Hope renewed for a brighter, more compassionate future. A dream being shared that we can create a peaceful and democratic society.

The theme of our newest issue of New Village Online is “A Festival of Democracy”, the idea behind it being that social change is not so much a task for wise leaders as it is a task for creative citizens. Every person has not only the right to contribute to the vision of the world they want, every citizen has creative abilities to tap in describing that vision.

Contributors to this issue, Arlene Goldbard and Maryo Gard Ewell, point out how community-based arts in both modern and historic forms are brilliant vehicles through which citizens can express themselves. Arlene’s essay, “The Culture of Politics”, and Maryo’s speech, “Who Walks with You?”, show potentials and models for engaging social imagination and involving more people, including children, in meaningful democratic experiences. (more…)

Dear Friends,

Imagine a city learning how to love, find its true heart, awaken its own soul through the leadership of a poet! This is exactly what is happening in Toronto, Canada, and it is an inspiration for all our towns and communities. Toronto’s Poet Laureate, Pier Giorgio DiCicco, has captivated the spirit of his city’s citizens with his beautiful notions and words. Creative City is the name of a ten-year visionary strategy, which, in DiCicco’s language, aims to “restore intimacy, curiosity, trust, and play into the happenstance encounter of citizens, in an era when the happenstance and the unpredictable are a threat.”

I too am captivated by DiCicco’s wisdom as it mirrors the thrust of New Village Press and the passions of our authors to create their beloved communities. How else can we build the cities of our dreams, if not first by engaging our imaginations with each other and sharing what we find most precious. (more…)