LEARNING EXCHANGES INCLUDE: (1) GUIDED TRAVEL TO IMPORTANT REGIONAL CULTURAL SITES; (2) INTERDISCIPLINARY-CREATIVE WORKSHOPS; (3) MEALTIME CONVERSATIONS; AND (4) AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO READ, WRITE AND REFLECT IN STUNNING NATURAL AND CULTURAL GEOGRAPHIES.
LEARNING EXCHANGES ALSO PROVIDE EACH GROUP AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT FIELD RESEARCH AND BEGIN PREPARATION FOR A COLLABORATIVE ISSUE OF THE THE FOURTH WORLD JOURNAL, OUR MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO THE CREATIVE ARTS.
This Learning Exchange focuses on Mytheopia and Art Practice - two of the Creative Concerns of Fourth World. The exchange takes place at the feet of Mount Shasta, a place of stunning beauty as well as setting for a rich variety of mythologies. The indigenous territories of the Wintu, Achumawi, Atsugewi and Modoc all border this cascade mountain strato-volcano and their cultural production is pervasively influenced by Mount Shasta's geophysical and spiritual presence. The Wintu, for instance, trace their collective genesis to a sacred spring on the mountain and the Klamath believe Chief Skell came to Mount Shasta in order to fight an epic battle.
Frederick Spencer Oliver's A Dweller on Two Planets, as example of the literary tradition of the area, claims that Lemurians - ancient survivors of a sunken continent - once lived in tunnels beneath the mountain. Perhaps because of this accumulation of local mytheopia, a variety of New Age groups also seem to thrive in the area. Potential readings for the Learning Exchange include: Shadows of Shasta; A Dweller on Two Planets; The Scarlet Letter; Walden Pond and The Island of Dr. Moreau. The signs and symbols of regional artistic and religious practice will be considered as well as the idea of progress. A variety or artistic modalities will be explored through creative activities, mealtime discussions, notebook and reading exercises, cooperative seminars and a group "Shasta Vortex" adventure. The deadline to RSVP for the 2019 Learning Exchange to Mount Shasta is September 10th, 2018. There will be up to three (3) cost waivers available for Fourth World Members who would like to attend but find the $ 1,950 cost (local travel, accommodations, meals and program fee) prohibitive.
To RSVP to participate in the 2019 Learning Exchange at Mount Shasta, please send Fourth World a brief autobiography, cover letter and creative response to the following prompt: "How do we best achieve true progress? When, if ever, does our pursuit of betterment 'cross-the-line?'"
If you would like to be considered for one of up to three available cost waivers, please also include a brief rationale with your application.
Send autobiography, cover letter, creative response (and rationale if applying for a cost waiver) to fourthworldcooperative@gmail.com by the 9/15/18 deadline.
