Lanterns to the Sky Creative Art Workshop at Children’s Shelter Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand

In August 2023 GLOCAP returned to sponsor a creative art workshop with the hill tribe students at the Children’s Shelter Foundation (CSF) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Led by Suzanne Grégoire, (choreographer, artistic director) and artists Worawuth Srakaeo, Chris Chun, Natchai Posrila, Saengmook Mookdavijit, and Jarm Patcharee, the workshop explored the theme of Lanterns.

Symbolic of good luck, sending wishes upward, and light leading the way forward, the students began by painting watercolors of the nature around them, and designed and painted a mural in a dormitory. Paper lanterns were decorated and hung in the CSF community areas and dormitories.

While creating costume pieces and floral garlands, as well as fabricating other lanterns as props, the children rehearsed “Lanterns to the Sky” a dance which culminated in a final performance and exhibit. Additionally, new elements were added to last summer’s workshop of “Mae Ping” (Ping River), the last project that Timothy Lomas directed.

The month-long workshop provided CSF with enough art supplies for the year as well as new costumes. The summer of 2023 marks GLOCAP’s thirteenth year of sponsoring creative art workshops at CSF, our longest- running collaboration, and one which we aspire to continue.

You can see the video of the final dance here on YouTube.