Drama & Art for Policy Awareness

CONCEPT NOTE

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON DRAMA & ART FOR POLICY AWARENESS

COURSE BACKGROUND

Traditional methods of communicating public policies often fall short. Complex language, dense reports, and formal presentations can fail to capture public attention, inspire action, or foster genuine understanding, especially on critical social or environmental issues. While policies are developed “on paper,” their true impact relies on how well they are understood, accepted, and acted upon by the people they affect. This gap in effective policy communication can lead to apathy, misunderstanding, or even resistance, hindering the successful implementation of vital initiatives.

ECAS Institute, committed to innovative communication and effective governance, recognizes the unique and powerful potential of drama and various art forms to bridge this communication gap. Art and drama can tell compelling stories, evoke emotions, and make complex policies relatable and memorable to diverse audiences. By offering this specialized course, ECAS aims to equip professionals with the creative tools to transform abstract policy concepts into engaging, impactful experiences. This aligns with ECAS’s broader mission to empower individuals and organizations to communicate strategically and drive positive societal change.

This course is specifically designed to move beyond conventional communication approaches and leverage the transformative power of creative expression. It will provide participants with the skills to use drama, visual arts, and other artistic interventions to raise awareness, stimulate dialogue, and foster public engagement with policy issues. By mastering these innovative communication techniques, ECAS aims to empower professionals to create more inclusive, effective, and resonant policy awareness campaigns, ensuring that policies are not just written, but truly understood and embraced by the public.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Understand the unique power of drama and art as tools for policy awareness and public engagement compared to traditional communication methods.
Identify different artistic forms and techniques applicable to communicating diverse policy messages to specific audiences.
Design and develop creative and impactful drama or art-based interventions for policy awareness campaigns.
Apply strategies for engaging communities and stakeholders in the co-creation and reception of artistic policy messages.
Plan for the evaluation of artistic interventions to assess their effectiveness in raising policy awareness and fostering dialogue.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will equip participants with innovative approaches to policy communication using creative arts. You will learn:

Why drama, visual arts, music, and storytelling are powerful for explaining complex policies and inspiring public interest.
Various artistic forms (like forum theatre, murals, spoken word, digital art) and how to choose the right one for your policy message and audience.
A step-by-step process for planning and creating drama or art-based projects that effectively raise awareness about specific policies.
How to involve communities and different stakeholder groups in the creation and experience of these artistic interventions, ensuring messages are relevant and impactful.
Methods for measuring whether your drama or art project successfully increased policy awareness and encouraged public discussion or action.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

This is a structured training course. The program is designed to be highly experiential and interactive, combining theoretical insights with practical workshops, creative exercises, case studies of successful artistic interventions, and opportunities for participants to develop their own artistic awareness concepts. The detailed program schedule, including specific session timings and hands-on creative assignments, will be communicated prior to the training commencement.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This course is ideal for professionals across various sectors who are involved in policy communication, advocacy, community engagement, and public awareness campaigns. The target audience includes:

Communication Specialists: In government, NGOs, and international organizations.
Public Awareness Campaign Managers: Working on social, environmental, or public health issues.
Community Development Workers: Engaging local communities on policy impacts and solutions.
Advocacy and Campaign Professionals: Seeking innovative ways to promote policy change or adoption.
Environmental Educators: Looking for creative methods to convey complex environmental policies.
Artists and Cultural Practitioners: Interested in applying their skills to policy advocacy and social impact.
Policy Analysts and Researchers: Who need to communicate their findings more effectively to broader audiences.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is structured into comprehensive modules, guiding participants through the principles and practices of using drama and art for effective policy awareness:

No	Module	Details
1.	The Power of Art and Drama in Communication	This module explores why conventional communication methods sometimes fail and how artistic expression offers a unique, emotionally resonant alternative for policy awareness and advocacy. Limitations of traditional policy communication (jargon, complexity, apathy). The psychology of engagement: how storytelling, emotion, and visual impact drive understanding. Introduction to various artistic forms for policy awareness (theatre, visual arts, music, spoken word, digital art). Case studies of successful art-based policy awareness campaigns globally.
2.	Designing Artistic Interventions for Policy Awareness	This module provides a framework for planning and conceptualizing drama and art projects tailored to specific policy messages and target audiences. Identifying key policy messages and desired behavioural/attitudinal shifts. Audience analysis for artistic engagement: cultural context, sensitivities, and preferred artistic styles. Brainstorming and selecting appropriate artistic forms and techniques (e.g., forum theatre, street art, murals, interactive installations). Developing a creative brief for an artistic policy awareness initiative.
3.	Crafting Compelling Narratives and Visuals	This module delves into the practical skills of transforming policy content into engaging artistic narratives and visuals that resonate deeply with audiences. Storytelling techniques for policy: humanizing issues, creating relatable characters, and building emotional arcs. Scriptwriting basics for short plays, skits, or performance pieces related to policy. Visual communication principles for posters, infographics, and digital art (e.g., symbolism, color, composition). Integrating music, sound, and movement to enhance policy messages.
4.	Community Engagement and Ethical Considerations	This module focuses on involving communities in the artistic process and navigating the ethical dimensions of using art for policy advocacy. Participatory art approaches: co-creation with communities and stakeholders. Facilitation skills for community theatre or collaborative art projects. Ensuring authenticity, cultural appropriateness, and avoiding tokenism or manipulation. Addressing sensitive topics: creating safe spaces for dialogue and expression. Copyright, intellectual property, and consent in artistic policy campaigns.
5.	Implementation, Dissemination, and Impact Assessment	This module covers the practicalities of bringing artistic interventions to life, disseminating them, and measuring their effectiveness in fostering policy awareness and social change. Planning and executing artistic events or installations. Leveraging digital platforms and social media for wider reach of artistic content. Methods for assessing impact: qualitative feedback (dialogue, testimonials), quantitative metrics (reach, engagement), and pre/post awareness surveys. Documenting and communicating the success stories of art-for-policy initiatives to policymakers and funders.

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.