Meme Jamming at the Tett!

Looking for something for teens this March Break? Look no further! Meme Jamming is here (and it’s FREE!) with an innovative program to engage youth in creating their own culture rather than letting their culture be created for them by corporations. Join Barb and Erin on Thursday, March 19 from 11am to 5 pm at the Tett!

Tett Creativity Studio artist, Barb Danielewski, has paired with Erin Vretteas, the youth engagement advisor for KFL&A Public Health who is involved in bringing both the Freeze the Industry and Love my Life campaigns to area schools – campaigns aimed at keeping teens tobacco free.” I met Erin when she was at QECVI working with the Creative Arts students on a poster project,” shares Barb. “She wondered how art could further engage youth and build on the work they've already done in their Freeze the Industry and Love my Life campaigns.” 

The result of this pairing is an innovative “culture jamming” project taking place at the Tett this Thursday. Culture Jamming is a form of social and political activism where reimagined advertising, news stories, logos and labels are created to draw attention to the ways in which large corporations and governments control and distort the information in their communications in order to promote their own agendas. Engaging youth in this endeavour serves as a way to promote both creative and critical thinking.

“I considered how the introduction of “culture jamming” and DIY screenprinting could empower youth to create their own culture as a response to gross corporate behaviour – the kind that markets flavoured tobacco towards young audiences,” says Barb. “Using the energy of their campaign which builds on the leadership capacity of young people, we created an offering that we felt allowed for maximum creativity even though we are using a highly technical process: screenprinting. We’ll be inviting participants to come down to the Tett and craft their own personal messages using meme-inspired images using a simple but innovative stenciling technique along with photo emulsion silkscreens.”