Having a very low percentage of Hispanic population in Whitley County at 1.3 percent, it is the responsibility of the Whitley County Extension Fine Arts program to promote inclusivity in all our programs and events.

During our monthly Mountain Textiles art group meeting, we had a participant visiting from Chile. The participant was a senior female that had previous experience with the Batik technique that was being taught that night. Batik is an Indonesian fabric dying technique using wax resistance. With help from the family, translation was provided and she felt part of the group as well as more comfortable to share her creation. Other students in the class became more engaged with her and her process. Through video documentation, Fine Arts Agent, Cortney Moses, was able to share the Chilean student’s Batik process on social media. The video was view 619 times.

The Chilean student later came back and participated in multiple programs, including pottery slab plate, pottery club, and volunteered to teach at our monthly Art Journaling class. She provided her expertise in ‘Chigiri-e’ which is a Japanese paper art technique. This experience was symbiotic: regular participants were exposed to a different culture while at the same time a stranger to the community was welcomed. This connection was made possible through the arts. Even though there was a language barrier, it was diffused when artists were communicating through art mediums, techniques, and visual aids. Art transcended language. Art was a tool to break through communication barriers and also tear down cultural walls.

The Whitley County Extension Fine Arts Community Center provides a positive safe space for artists to share their experience and their knowledge and builds diverse and inclusive community. “Art doesn’t need the language of words but the language of creativity and collaboration”-Chilean student.