The “Trans Altered Books Project,” funded by the Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grant, offers those who identify as Trans to participate in a nine-week Altered Books Course by Pigeon Arts’ Director, Jesse White.

Do you identify as Trans* and are seeking a creative way to build esteem and strengthen community?

* As in the Leeway Foundation’s definition, “We use the term “trans” in its most inclusive sense, as an umbrella term encompassing: transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, and Two-Spirit people, and more generally, anyone whose gender identity or gender expression is non-conforming and/or different from their birth-assigned gender.”

The Purpose of this Project:

This project, designed for the Trans community of Greater Philadelphia, will offer participants the opportunity to explore self-identity and combat self-stigmatizing labels. The project includes creative writing exercises, focused on positive self-identifying roles. From what is written, participants will construct their stories through the creation of altered books. Each artist will transform an existing book into a new work of art through multiple techniques: painting, drawing, gluing, cutting, folding, layering, collaging, adorning and more! Having doors and drawers that open, inserting mini-books and pockets, and other techniques will help artists to create incredibly distinctive, functional pieces of art.

Healthy and nurturing communities are born from healthy, self-aware and enthusiastic individuals. This project offers trans people the opportunity to safely explore their own self identities and how that relates to the larger communities of trans people, LGBT people and the general community of people living in the Greater Philadelphia area. The goals of this project are to provide a cathartic and healing creative experience that will foster self-esteem, enhance each artist’s creative experience in a positive and lasting way, and to strengthen the group’s sense of community and supports for trans people.

About the Project:

This project is designed for participants to meet once a week, for two hours, for a total of nine weeks. The last session will provide an exhibition opportunity for those participants who wish to share and celebrate their work with friends and family. Artists must commit to participate in the entire session and will be offered the opportunity at no cost, aside from a small registration fee. The details are listed below:

Dates: Saturdays, June 27th - August 29th (No Class on July 4th)
Time: 3:30-5:30pm
Location: The A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Registration Fee: $4.00
Travel: There is a free parking lot next door; also accessible by public transportation via the #34 Trolley
Number of Participants: 12-15

About Jesse White:

“I am a member of the LGBT community, and have worked either on a volunteer basis or through employment as an LGBT civil rights activist since 1992. Through my work with Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, I have accompanied trans victims of hate violence to court as a court advocate, have facilitated workshops on anti-trans police misconduct at the 2008 Trans-Health Conference, transgender name changes at Philadelphia FIGHT, LGBT Domestic Violence at Women in Transition, and have designed LGBT anti-violence educational materials (with the help of a student intern) that was distributed to every anti-violence organization in Pennsylvania. Now, as the Director of Pigeon Arts, I work with various communities, including LGBT students, in the instruction of arts techniques and individual creative process. My emphasis in creative instruction is always to 1) create a safe space within which students can take creative risks and 2) to meet each student where they are and help them to achieve personal and creative goals. Many of my LGBT-identified students have expressed the importance of my creative programming to process choices, relationships, and self-care. I am thrilled to be able to facilitate this project and hope that you will consider joining us!”

About the A-Space:

The A-Space, located at 47th Street & Baltimore Avenue, is a collectively run anarchist community center and art gallery. Here, amidst a large and vibrant Transgender community that is often underserved, the A-Space provides a safe, nurturing, and celebratory space for all.

Established in 1991, The A-Space is operated by an all volunteer anarchist collective who share chores,
rotate responsibilities, and make decisions by consensus. The A-Space is home to Philadelphia groups such as Books Through Bars, the Philadelphia Anti-War Forum, Philadelphia Alliance for Labor (Birth) Support, & Philly Jericho Movement . It is also used for lectures, meetings, performances, art showings, films, benefits, cultural events, educational events, & other events that bring people together.

You can learn more about the A-Space by visiting their website at http://www.the-aspace.org

How to Register:

Please go to the REGISTER page and complete the form. Then send a money order for $4.00 to:

Pigeon Arts
C/o Jesse White
3820 Spring Garden St., 3rd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104

We will contact you to confirm your registration.