Artists & Communities Host Site: Christina Cultural Arts Center, Inc.
705 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Web site: www.ccac-de.org

Millennium Artist:
Roberto Arévalo
Videographer and Photographer
Massachusetts
E-mail: roberto@mirrorproject.org
Web site: www.mirrorproject.org

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The opportunity to learn video production techniques and to create a unique document of their lives was realized by participants in Roberto Arévalo's Artists & Communities residency with the Christina Cultural Arts Center of Wilmington, Delaware.

Six local residents, ages 12 - 37 years, worked closely with Arévalo over the summer under the umbrella of the Arts Center's "Building a Common Ground" project. "Building a Common Ground" explored the universal experiences that are shared by people of every age, background, and ability. Along the way, participants discovered their individual voices and the 'voices' of their friends and families.

Christina Cultural Arts Center elected to work with Roberto Arévalo because of the impact that his Boston-based "Mirror Project" has had empowering inner-city youth by teaching them video and communication skills. Arévalo translated his "Mirror Project" model to Wilmington through workshops, one-on-one tutoring, hands-on technical training, and opportunities to experiment with documentary techniques.

The resulting work presents a vivid, immediate, and multi-faceted view of life in contemporary Wilmington from a variety of cultural perspectives. The "Building a Common Ground" video premiered in three venues over two weeks in September 2000 - at the Grand Opera House where Arévalo made an introductory presentation, the University of Delaware in association with its Latino Month Celebrations, and the Delaware Art Museum.

The expanded premiere season ensured that as many people as possible were able to experience the work of Wilmington's "Millennium Ambassadors" and reflect on their community's common ground.

MILLENNIUM ARTIST BIO

Roberto Arévalo is a videographer, media educator, presenter, photographer and founder/director of "The Mirror Project" and Straight Up Pictures, who has produced work for the Mystic Housing Developments in Somerville, Harvard University, and the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA. Arévalo's work focuses on youth, immigrant experiences, education and art among marginalized groups.