Since early 2007, Western Australian members of the Anthroposophical Youth Section have been meeting regularly to plan our upcoming international event “The Art of the Future ~ An Exploration of Social and Artistic Life” which will take place in Perth, Western Australia, March 17 – 20, 2008.

During this time we have held a fortnightly study group – looking first at what Rudolf Steiner had to say when the Youth Section was formed, then exploring some of his Youth lectures, and finally embarking upon the meditative journey described in his book, How to Know Higher Worlds.

We have also met fortnightly to plan the upcoming event. As part of this process we originally held many discussions about conferences, then completely let go of any pre-existing ideas about what conferences should be, and instead attempted to work with a future that is seeking to emerge through us and our activity.

In essence we have also attempted to think with the conference (and with the kind of experiences people are yearning for at these gatherings, and elsewhere) rather than about it. In so doing, we feel we are more able to work with the ‘Being’ of this gathering and the community that will come together in March 2008.

As a result we have arrived at (though it is a continually evolving) something which can no longer, in truth, be called a conference. It is more of a ‘festival-gathering’, and the title is “The Art of the Future ~ An Exploration of Social and Artistic Life”. It could be called a “a guided social and artistic experience”. We also like to think of it as “sculpting with warmth.”

It is the ever-evolving result of what has unfolded in the space between us as organizers and the input of what other people are longing to experience.  Instead of developing the conference out of our own ideas about what the conference should be, we listened deeply and worked with what beckoned to come forth into the world as the conference.  It streamed forth from the future in wholeness to meet us in our activities.

Part of the invite reads: “During our time together we will, as individuals within community, seek to create a sculpture made of warmth – the warmth of our own artistic social interactions. We will do so by consciously interweaving exercises in existing artistic mediums with other activities in order that this new artwork may emerge – the art of the social sphere – the art of the future.  

Essentially, the artwork we will attempt to create is not so much what we produce materially, but what unfolds between us as human beings. Art of this kind is created within our social interactions – this is where modern mystery centres can exist, and where we will attempt to ‘sculpt’, through warmth, this future art.”

We have found the whole planning process to be part of this artwork – part of the entire sculpture that we will co-create with all participants during March.

Consequently, every part of the event will be closely inter-related and molded into the greater artwork – the social sculpture we will be creating. This includes a strong meditative aspect, thanks to the inspiring and experienced guidance of Jennifer Kornberger. Jennifer will bring a meditative content that will work to deepen our individual and collective experience of this sculpture and all its aspects.

Jennifer is a trained Waldorf art and drama teacher, as well as a visual artist, adult educator, dramatist, published poet, festival creator, amateur bee-keeper and much more. The Youth Section sees in her, and in all her work, a way in which Anthroposophy can really live in the world as a dynamic and creative force. We look forward to the wonderful artistic, scientific and spiritual guidance she has offered to bring to this gathering, as well as her great warmth.

In order to assist in the creation of this ‘warmth sculpture’, some of the other artistic and scientific activities we will explore are creative writing, visual art, music, singing, labyrinth making, nature observations and much more. These activities will be guided by Youth Section members here in Western Australia.

The gathering will also contain a sufficient amount of ‘breathing time’. For as well as strong thinking, feeling and willing activities, we also need to be able to digest our experiences as we move through them.

The beautiful setting of Anapana Ridge in the Perth hills (www.anapanaridge.com) will provide the perfect environment for this ‘breathing time’, and for our ‘social sculpture’ to unfold. Indeed, we will also work very closely with the natural surrounding environment in our ‘sculpting’.

Of course, we are also hopeful that our ‘sculpting’ will not end at Anapana Ridge. The gathering will be immediately followed by “The Bee Master ~ A Michael-Easter Festival” (www.thebeemaster.com) if participants would like to attend this event. Ultimately, we are hopeful that every participant or co-sculptor will be able to take their experiences back to their own communities throughout the world and continue ‘sculpting with warmth’ there.

But again, every activity of the event will form a part of the whole, and the whole will be found in each individual activity. Everything we do at this event will add to the larger artwork – our hands will always be molding this sculpture of warmth.

As a result we will not be seeking to offer any isolated pieces of intellectual knowledge; rather, we will strive towards an actual living experience – a soul experience – of what it is to really meet and work with other individuals in community, to sculpt a work of art through the warmth that can live between us, and in so doing become co-creators of an artwork that is seeking our help to emerge – the art of the social sphere, the art of the future.

In this medium especially, we are all artists.

 The event – or the sculpture – will take place in Perth, Western Australia, March 17 – 20, 2008. It will be immediately followed by “The Bee Master ~ A Michael Easter Festival” (www.thebeemaster.com). Reduced prices on attendance at “The Bee Master”, as well as other accommodation options, may be available. For more information on this contact Gosia Basinska at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or visit www.youthsection.org.au/perth  For more information on the Youth Section please visit www.youthsection.org.au For more on Anthroposophy and its initiatives, go to  www.waldorfanswers.org/Anthroposophy.htm

 Image Sources

Artist’s conception – birth of star.  Created by NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC) on July 6, 2006.  Retrieved on November 30, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star