In the art of revolution: integrating community arts into the existing development work of non-government organizations in Guatemala and El Salvador

Unrestricted In their efforts to encourage political, social and environmental consciousness, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Guatemala and El Salvador typically subscribe to the " banking system of education " as their primary pedagogy. The " banking system" fails to promote critical thinking within host communities, which counters the NGOs' goals and leaves them struggling to convey their message. ArtCorps, a community arts organization, was created to bridge this communication gap between many Guatemalan and Salvadoran grassroots organizations and their targeted communities through art. By applying Paulo Freire 's theory of Critical Pedagogy as a template, I seek to investigate how a community arts partnership between ArtCorps and the NGOs can better empower NGOs and the communities in underdeveloped regions. This study examines the integration of community arts into international development work and consciousness-raising through interviews I conducted in 2007 with participating ArtCorps volunteer artists, partnering NGOs and community members in Guatemala and El Salvador.