Nana Arslanian-Scott

The Individual Mask-Making for a Purpose workshop at Beautiful Community brought participants together to explore cultural heritage, identity and belonging. An icebreaker invited everyone to use their initials to describe their heritage, prompting engaging conversations about personal histories and cultural connections. Grace -Greenland shared Grenada as fertile land; Anne -Authentic and Tina -Treasure celebrated Ghana, the land of gold, highlighting its natural resources, including bauxite, oil, cocoa and diamonds. Beverley-Beautiful reflected on Ghana’s beautiful, rich textiles and traditions, while Anne explored authentic Irish identity and challenged cultural stereotypes. Participants shared their histories and experiences in a welcoming, non-judgemental space.
The workshop explored the global significance of masks, including their spiritual, storytelling, social, functional, religious and celebratory roles in traditional ceremonies, masquerades and festivals. Discussions also considered the masks people wear in everyday life, and how cultural heritage, traditions, beliefs, memories, coloured fabrics and personal experiences can be expressed through creative practice. References to global masks such as Spanish Day of the dead, 💀 , Caribbean carnival, Italien Venetian masks, London protest masks and much more broadened the conversation, highlighting how masks can communicate identity, solidarity, resistance and social messages. Through individual mask-making, participants transformed their reflections into meaningful creative expressions of their heritage and lived experiences.