Skip to main content
Level up
Level Up Your Work Skills

Unpack Your Creativity with ArtStarts in Schools

Overview 13 Lovely Attendees
Screen shot 2024 01 02 at 4.04.12 pm
Your Host

Christine Bissonnette

Performance poet, poetry writing facilitator and Speech Arts coach at 9 Creative Lives Studio.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

I’m passionate about unleashing the creativity of my students through mindful and curiousity-focused instruction. My Speech Arts students have won first place in speech competitions at their school, taken home medals (like ‘the outstanding acting award’ and the ‘outstanding monologue performance award’) at various festivals, and have received First Class Honours for their Speech Arts RCM Exams.

The students from my poetry writing workshops have received poetry fellowships, published chapbooks, won awards in literary magazines
 and on many occasions those same students arrived in my class feeling blocked and unsure of their relationship to poetry. .

As a performer and writer, I’ve performed on stages all over Vancouver including opening for Danielle LaPorte as part of the Rise Women’s Conference. My poem ‘Rise’ (written for that conference) was later featured by Downtown Vancouver’s Poetry Phone in order to uplift Vancouver audiences at the start of the pandemic. In 2019, I wrote, featured in, and co-produced a short film (Left Opened) that combined poetry, music, and dance to explore anxiety. The film toured film festivals internationally.

Most recently, I was featured in episode 1 of the STORYHIVE funded ‘Heal Through Poetry’ series. The 8 episode series will be released on Telus Optic and on Youtube on in September 2023

About this FieldTrip

Think you are not creative because someone once told you that you couldn’t draw? Think again!

This hands-on workshop explores concepts of divergent thinking and inquiry. Through art, play and interactive exercises, participants will tap into their innate creative potential and discover that creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised.

We will be working with paint, so get ready to be messy!

Participants will walk away with increased creative confidence as well as practical ideas and tools to apply to their professional and personal lives.

Workshop Details

Facilitated by: ArtStarts Staff

Arrive between 8:15-8:30 for coffee (bring your own mug), light treats, and to meet the other attendees.

The workshop will begin at 8:30am sharp!

If you have any access needs, please contact rekha(at)artstarts(dot)com, and we will identify how to support you.

Pre-work, for your interest Watch this short TED Talk by Ken Robinson on whether schools kill creativity

About ArtStarts in Schools

ArtStarts in Schools is a charitable organization that exists to expand the role of art in education to activate learning and nurture creativity in British Colombia’s young people. Since 1996, ArtStarts has collaborated with educators, artists, families, and communities to promote art as an essential part of learning and in life.

Learn more: artstarts.com/about


What to expect

Lecture format!

This is a more traditional format where participants absorb information through presentations and talks.

Real-time only!

This FieldTrip will not be recorded.

Learn more about FieldTrips

Screen shot 2024 01 02 at 4.04.12 pm
Your Host

Christine Bissonnette

Performance poet, poetry writing facilitator and Speech Arts coach at 9 Creative Lives Studio.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

About Christine Bissonnette

I’m passionate about unleashing the creativity of my students through mindful and curiousity-focused instruction. My Speech Arts students have won first place in speech competitions at their school, taken home medals (like ‘the outstanding acting award’ and the ‘outstanding monologue performance award’) at various festivals, and have received First Class Honours for their Speech Arts RCM Exams.

The students from my poetry writing workshops have received poetry fellowships, published chapbooks, won awards in literary magazines
 and on many occasions those same students arrived in my class feeling blocked and unsure of their relationship to poetry. .

As a performer and writer, I’ve performed on stages all over Vancouver including opening for Danielle LaPorte as part of the Rise Women’s Conference. My poem ‘Rise’ (written for that conference) was later featured by Downtown Vancouver’s Poetry Phone in order to uplift Vancouver audiences at the start of the pandemic. In 2019, I wrote, featured in, and co-produced a short film (Left Opened) that combined poetry, music, and dance to explore anxiety. The film toured film festivals internationally.

Most recently, I was featured in episode 1 of the STORYHIVE funded ‘Heal Through Poetry’ series. The 8 episode series will be released on Telus Optic and on Youtube on in September 2023


Attendees

View profile
Smol

Clare Warner

Public Spaces and Placemaking Coordinator at Downtown Vancouver BIA.

View profile
Image1

Wendy Wang

UX/UI Designer at Chatnels Software.

View profile
Gay gastown

Gay Stephenson

Community Economic Development .

View profile
1558054227486

Wen-Chi Yang

Junior Pastry Chef at Ladurée.

Cm avatar 2

Lisbet R.

Cm avatar 2

Renate K.


How to make the most of FieldTrips

The FieldTrips experience is defined not only by what the host has to share, but also by how we show up individually and collectively. The way we show up impacts our capacity to be moved, inspired, and activated.

Show up fully

Get ready to be immersed! Engage with smiles, nods, waves, emojis. Share in the chat. Get cozy. Turn off notifications. Sip your favorite beverage.

Stay curious

Wear your beginner’s hat. Go with the flow. Welcome the stumbles and fumbles. Congratulate yourself for trying. Keep going! 

Celebrate your host

Our hosts are members of the CreativeMornings community—just like you! Everyone comes to this with different backgrounds—a lot of our hosts have never done anything like this before! And we love that! Cheer them on when something goes awry and when it goes perfectly.

Support each other

We’re all figuring things out in real time. Celebrate, rather than critique emerging ideas. Cheer each other on as you try new things.  Try “Yes! And
” in conversation.

Not vibing?

It’s 100% okay when a FieldTrip does not resonate with you. Pop out quietly and try another experience later. Fill out the survey with your feedback (no dms to host or chat commentary, please.)