VIRTUAL: Prague Heritages

Abstract

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Halasuru Traverses is an innovative arts education project that empowered youth to explore the rich local histories and regional cultures of the Halasuru neighbourhood in South India using digital fabrication techniques. This project was designed to foster creativity, historical consciousness, and community engagement among young people through a hands-on, immersive learning experience. Through the use of digital fabrication tools, such as 3D printing and laser cutting, the project provided youth with the ability to create and design characters of present times as puppeteers. This allowed them to express their own perspectives of their local history and experiences of the neighbourhood, while also gaining valuable skills in design, storytelling, and digital fabrication. The project was developed in collaboration with local artists, educators, and historians, and aimed to provide a culturally relevant educational experience that was tailored to the needs and interests of the community. This paper presents the methodology, results, and impact of the Halasuru Traverses project. It will discuss the ways in which digital fabrication tools were used to enhance arts education and promote historical consciousness among youth, and how the project fostered community engagement and participation. This paper also explores the broader implications of this project for arts education, digital fabrication, and community development. The observations and findings demonstrate the potential of digital fabrication as a tool for promoting cultural understanding and community empowerment, and highlight the importance of engaging with local histories and cultures in arts education.