University of New England

The Center for the Arts and Social Transformation’s mission is to explore and develop ways that the creative arts deepen our understanding of the human condition, to raise public awareness and stimulate public dialogue on critical social issues, and to expand and enrich the conception of health and human services.

Established in 2000, the Center is a program of The University of New England School of Social Work, whose value-based mission embodies a commitment to struggle against oppression in all forms. The School of Social Work is part of the College of Health Professions, which has a commitment to innovative interdisciplinary health education.  The Center provides one way to demonstrate the values and commitment of the School, College, and University through innovative programming, outreach and education, and the development of collaborative partnerships in the community.

Program Goals:

• To identify and tap into the creative potential of constituent individuals, including social work students, faculty, practitioners, and clients.
• To promote use of the arts as a means to sensitize professionals and the public to both the plight and the resilience of the human condition, and to stimulate and promote civic dialogue.
• To explore the medium of the creative arts as expressive therapies and healing activities.
• To celebrate human diversity, connection, creativity, and understanding.

Program Description
Since its inception, the Center for Arts and Social Transformation has focused in three areas:

1. Development and Sponsorship of Creative Arts Productions

Play Productions:

The Calling – by Clay Graybeal.  T

he first production of CAST was the presentation of the play, The Calling. The play explored two main themes: surviving trauma and transcending the chasm between helper and helped. The Calling was first produced and presented at the Oak Street Theatre in Portland, Maine, in May of 1999 and attended by more than 900 people. The production was supported by funding from the Maine State Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS). This resulted in over one hundred community service providers and mental health consumers attending performances. Two performances of the play were followed by panel discussions including trauma survivors, mental health professionals, academics, and actors. The play was produced a second time, in January 2001 at the Portland Performing Arts Center. The play was also professionally videotaped and the tape is available for sale for educational purposes. 

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A Gershwin Holiday - December 15 & 16, 2001

This fundraising concert was presented at the Ludcke Auditorium on the Westbrook Campus of UNE in Portland, and featured soprano Deborah Hall, baritone Peter Allen, and pianist Vicky Bradford.

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Shadow Souls by Clay Graybeal - September 12-22, 2002

This play is the story of five women over the course of one night in a women's residence. Throughout the night, they must cope with their fears of loneliness and violence, being labeled with psychiatric diagnoses, and fears of losing one another and their place to live.

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Crosses by Marie Paschke - October 25, 2002

Written by a graduate social work student, and developed in collaboration with CAST, Crosses describes the interactions between a young women who has survived sexual abuse, and her mother. It was co-sponsored by The Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and presented as part of a day-long workshop on domestic violence.

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The Second Coming of Joan of Arc by Carolyn Gage - October 30, 2001

Written and performed by lesbian feminist playwright Carolyn Gage, this interpretive look at the life of Joan of Arc, has been described by author Phyllis Chesler as, "high art and revolutionary theatre combined." More information on Carolyn Gage.

 

 

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It’s a Wicked Good Life by Clay Graybeal - Maine Public Radio, December 19, 2004Live performances, December 10-12, 2004, University of New England

This play was a comedic adaptation of the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life.  It featured Norm, a Maine lobsterman, Freddie, the devil’s disciple, and Great Gertie, a giant blue lobster.

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Play Readings:

One Hundred Percent All American Girl by Colin Sargent - July 22, 2001

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You the Man by Cathy Plourde - September 9, 2001

A play about dating violence, produced by AddVerb Productions.

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2. Development of Community and Professional Partnerships

• In 2000, CAST developed a collaboration with a local community-based mental health center, Counseling Services, Inc. Our first project together was the Creative Practices Initiative, which led to the University co-sponsoring a Healthy Mind, Healthy Body community fair in March of 2000, and a community development workshop with Isaye Barnwell, of Sweet Honey and the Rock, in April of 2000.
• In 2005, CAST formed an improvisational performance group, “Playful Conversations,” consisting of social workers and other interested community members with community and professional theater experience.  Using a unique blend of improvisational theater skills and incorporating concepts from narrative and solution focused social work practice, the troupe elicits narratives from audience members, acts them out, and then elicits an alternative future narrative that incorporates the individual’s vision of a preferable outcome.  Playful Conversations has made presentations to health professions classes and several conferences.

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3. Curricular Innovation and Research, and Dissemination of Findings

• Course work: In the fall of 2000, the School of Social Work offered a new course: The Creative Arts in Social Work. This course was designed to explore the use and potential uses of creative arts in social work practice, and explored the application of the arts in three main areas: (1) promoting and enhancing self-awareness and personal growth for the professional social worker, (2) identifying and tapping into client’s personal and interpersonal strengths and resources through application in psychotherapy, groupwork, and other forms of direct practice, and (3) inspiring social awareness, public dialogue, and social change.
• Research: The impact of The Calling on audience members was evaluated through mailed surveys, follow-up interviews and classroom group discussions, and presented at state and national conferences. (see below)

Dissemination of Findings

Paper Presentations:
		A Play on Trauma, Survival, and Social Work: Evaluating the Educational Impact, Clay T. Graybeal, Ph.D., and Pamela Arnsberger, Ph.D., at the Connecting Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Conference, Augusta, Maine, November 30, 2001
		A Play on Trauma, Survival, and Social Work: Evaluating the Educational Impact, Clay T. Graybeal, Ph.D., and Pamela Arnsberger, Ph.D., Annual Program Meeting, Council on Social Work Education, Nashville, TN, Feb 28, 2002
Conference Screenings of The Videotape of The Calling:
		Transforming Social Work Practice and Inquiry, University of Vermont, October, 2000 Annual Conference of the Society for Spirituality and Social Work, Washington, D.C., 2001.
		Connecting Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Conference, Augusta, Maine, November 30, 2001
		Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, in Nashville, TN, February 28, 2002.
Conference Presentations:
		Play it Forward: Constructing a Healing Narrative, UNE CHP Spring Symposium, Portland, ME, April 3, 2008
		Science, Art, and Improvisation, Plenary Address at the “Improvisation for Lasting Change”conference, Orono, ME, 8/2/07
		Playful Conversations, an interactive theatre introduction to Outside the Box, a Workshop Series Examining Trauma, UNE Continuing Education series. 9/16/05

Videotape/DVD of The Calling:
Videotape or DVD copies of The Calling are available for purchase at a nominal fee.  For further information, contact Clay Graybeal at the address below.

Contact Information:

Clay T. Graybeal, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
College of Health Professions
&
CASTCoordinator
University of New England School of Social Work
716 Stevens Ave.
Portland, ME 04103-2670
(207) 221-4509
Email: cgraybeal@une.edu