Cohousing and the Arts

by Sue Cunio Salem
April, 1996

Music, Art, Cohousing, and Children are centrally important to my life. I see important links between all of these, but perhaps these connections aren't as obvious to everyone else. So why should we discuss cohousing and the arts anyway? In my opinion, some of the defining characteristics of cohousing naturally point to a strong presence of arts and creativity in a cohousing community. For example:

Cohousing is a place to raise children.

We can use the arts to facilitate communication among the children, and between the adults and children by providing alternative channels of communication. The arts can help create a safe, fun environment that enables children to take risks and grow as part of the community. The arts can help build self esteem, increase self awareness, and empower children which will make them stronger as individuals and as functioning members of the community. Finally, artistic, creative expression is natural for kids and we should help facilitate this for our children.

A recent example of how music can make connections between the children and adults in the community took place when my husband, Jim, and I decided to do some drumming in our new house (which is currently under construction). As we were just beginning to play, two of our neighbors (each with their six year old children) stopped by to check out the progress of our construction. As Jim and I continued to play, the two children, Elise and David, inched closer to us, drawn to the music. Before long, they were playing along with us as we taught them a simple, West African rhythm. At some point, their mothers left, feeling comfortable and safe leaving their kids with us.

Using the music as a vehicle, we were developing and strengthening unique connections with these children, independent of our connections with their parents. At the same time, this was an enriching, learning experience for the kids. A week later, I ran into David's father who said that David talked about this experience for days, saying he couldn't wait for us to move in so we could play drums with him more!

Cohousing is a group of diverse people living and working together.

We can use the arts to acknowledge our diversity, strengthen our common ties, and celebrate our differences. I envision us sharing folk tales and music from our different heritages, bringing our different generations together through the arts, or using the arts to learn about different ethnic and religious holidays.

Cohousing is a group of people working together in a cooperative environment.

We can use the arts to facilitate communication and understanding of one another which, in turn, will facilitate cooperative working relationships.

One of my favorite group meetings was where we used the visual arts to dream about our cohousing community. After a guided visualization about life in New View in the year 2000, we split up into five, small clusters. Each group made a collective drawing on a large piece of paper about how we envisioned life in our new cohousing community. There were pictures of children climbing the old maple tree, playing music together, experiencing the seasons together, and much more! The similarities between the five drawings reminded us of our common vision, and the ensuing discussion left many of us inspired about our future together.

Cohousing is a commitment to creating aesthetically appealing and comfortable spaces both inside and outside.

The arts are an integral part of this enhancement of space. This may be manifested through landscape architecture and design, the design of the buildings, and the visual treatment of the buildings (e.g., display of artwork). Art galleries, sculpture gardens, use of tiles designed by and made by New View kids and adults, and spontaneous/evolving art creations will help make New View a vibrant, exciting environment to live in!

Cohousing is a family and, therefore, is about people experiencing together the joys, challenges and pain of life.

I hope we will use the arts to help creatively express the fullness of life, and help the healing process when that is necessary. The possibilities are endless, and I look forward to many years of making music, telling stories, and painting pictures with other New View members.