Welcome to a transformative journey designed for the creative sector, where conflict becomes a catalyst for growth. In these three interactive 90-minute virtual sessions, we will embark on an exploration of conflict's potential, acquiring invaluable skills that can reshape our collaborative relationships.
As we navigate this 'post-pandemic' era, collaboration is the key to moving forward. As more collaborations happen between artists, presenters, and organizations, conflicts naturally arise. Acquiring the skills to navigate conflict will be crucial in creating healing-centered collaborative relationships with each other.
Through these sessions, we will learn to identify our stress responses and guide ourselves towards regulation; skill up for difficult conversations; and learn about accountability following the conflict. Your own experiences will fuel our collective learning. Bring your case studies and apply new insights in real-time for deeper understanding that moves you beyond theory. These sessions build on one another, so commitment and participation in all three sessions is required.
Join us as we rewrite the narrative, shifting from conflict avoidance to generative conflict. Together, let’s explore healing-centered collaboration, where conflict is not an obstacle, but a stepping stone to deeper relationship building.
What people are saying about the program:
“This workshop series was transformative, immediately supportive, and lovely. Learning about the stress responses in the body and ways of closing the stress cycle was so awesome. I also appreciate Meena's vulnerability in sharing stories from her personal/professional life -- it was a tender invitation for me and others to become vulnerable and share our stories, comments and questions about conflict and accountability. There was a very warm environment because of this.”
“It was a tremendous resource that I put to use immediately. It was practical, and I left with tools that I will be able to implement in various levels of my work. It also gave me insight into the dynamics between artists and presenters/producers, and how to think about providing support for navigating conflict with those specific power dynamics at play.”
“This program felt relevant to my life as an artist/creative producer, as well as life beyond my career. Some of the impactful components were hearing from other folks in our field whose challenges are relatable for me and with whom I felt comfortable sharing about my own experiences.”
“It taught me how to see conflict as a part of work and life, not as a scary obstacle. And that it's important to exercise grace, patience, and reflection through a series of intentional steps.”
Photo by Jeffrey Filiault
Meena Malik (she/her) is a musician, arts consultant, facilitator, and mediator, who is known as a mover and shaker re-defining what conversations around equity in the arts look like. An alumna of the artEquity Facilitator Training, a member of the Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute Facilitation Cohort and a Senior Associate at The Aspire Group, Meena is actively engaged in a national community of practice for anti-oppression work in the arts. Formerly as the Senior Program Manager of Theater at the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), she managed the National Theater Project (NTP), a grant program that supports the creation and touring of devised ensemble theater work. Meena organized and led “Beyond Orientalism: The Boston Forum” in October 2017 and is a co-founder and steering committee member of Boston’s first API (Asian Pacific Islander) Arts Network.
As an artist, Meena has performed with Opera Providence, MassOpera, Boston Opera Collaborative, New England Orchestra among others. She was a founding member and performer with Voci Angelica Trio, an international band that created a musical fusion of world folk and classical music, for 14 years. With Voci Angelica, Meena toured to the USA’s East Coast, Midwest and Southern regions, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.