animateurs, animation, learning and change

Animation means, literally, to breathe life into some thing. A transformation is involved, what was still now moves. But what place does animation have in stimulating learning and change? What do animateurs do? Where are animateurs to be found?
In the English language animation is mostly associated with the work of film makers. Illustrators create action from a series of images and we have the illusion of something living. In French and Italian especially, it takes on a further meaning. It is linked to the activities of animateurs - informal educators, community workers, arts workers and others. In this article we explore some central models of animation; the work of animateurs (and animatore) in France and Italy; and then turn to the work of Augusto Boal as an example of the animateur at work. Part of the problem we have here is that animation, like community education, social pedagogy or informal education, can be used in a variety of ways. In what follows we explore the emergence of the idea and some of the practices and theorizations associated with animateurs within different traditions of practice.

Creative-expressive animation
Within this model of animation animateurs encourage and help people to engage with music, theatre, dance and other art forms for the enjoyment participation brings; the self-expression it fosters; and for the learning that can flow from involvement. Common settings for this work are community and youth groups, schools and care centres. Animation has been increasingly used in some quarters to describe the work of arts education practitioner. For example, an animateur can be defined as: a practising artist, in any art form, who uses her / his skills, talents and personality to enable others to compose, design, devise, create perform or engage with works of art of any kind. (Animarts 2003: 9) In this way, a number of orchestras in Britain employ musicians or composers as animateurs. Their task can be 'seeing that audiences get a chance to connect to the orchestra and its music in new ways' and helping players 'to reach out to the communities where they reside' (Cabaniss 2007).

Animation, formation and education To make sense of animation we need to look at the ways that thinking around education and training have developed in Europe. Animation can be contrasted with education and formation (after Aristotle):

education (from educere): to lead forth; or to rear or bring up children or animals. formation (from formare): to mould, fashion by discipline or education (see Figure)

Thus, in some European discussions (e.g. in Italy) animation can be linked to socio-cultural work, and work with associations; formation with training - vocational and professional; and education with the activities of schools and colleges. However, this misses a fundamental usage and distinction; one that can be seen in phrases such as 'character-building' and 'characterforming'. Formation can be: at once a mystical concern, steering the soul to its salvation, and a social programme as it aims at the transmission and the improvement of appropriate forms of social life. (Lorenz 1994: 88) There are areas of considerable overlap in these notions, for example the way that they each could be seen to have a concern with 'soul' or being. However, they do bring out different dimensions. There are times when we seek to open up possibilities and look to encouraging people to become involved in some activity, experience or campaign. At other times we will seeking to create an environment in which people can develop specific skills (and hopefully, also to link them to some wider purpose and meaning). There will also be times when we encourage people to reflect on their feelings, experiences and ideas. In some respects animation, formation and education connect with another familiar threesome: knowledge (education), attitudes

(animation) and skills (formation). I say 'connect' here - but I am not sure that I want to push this too far. Part of the confusion comes from the way the words are used in practice. Each (after Freire and others) could be said to have an active and a passive side. The passive side is the provision of services in all three. This is often associated with treating people like objects. We breathe life into them, we try to shape them. We act on them. An 'active' orientation views people as subjects, as active agents. In this orientation workers are concerned with the environment and interaction. They look to people as participants. They join with them in their struggles to make sense of themselves and the world - and to act.

Creativity is the ability of a person or group to make something new and useful or valuable, or the process of making something new and useful or valuable. It happens in all areas of life science, art, literature and music. As a personal ability it is very difficult to measure. The reason is that we don't understand the mental processes that help some people be more creative than others. Judging what is creative is also controversial. Some people say only things which are historically new are creative, while other people say that if it is new for the creator and the people around them, then it is also creativity. Some think creativity is an important thing that makes humans different from apes. Others recognize that even apes, other primates, other mammals and some birds adapt to survive by being creative (for example - primates using tools).
people hold very different views of creativity. Some think they arent creative at all and it is only the privileged and artistically talented, who can be considered creative. Others think that to cook a good dinner is already a clear sign of creativity.