MONKTON — The Willowell Foundation, in conjunction with the Vermont Folklife Center and Castleton University will be hosting internationally acclaimed street artist Behulum Mengistu through June. In addition to his work as a fine artist, Behulum serves as Managing Director of The One Love Theater, a troupe devoted to educating the community and creating dialogue around important issues like gender equality and HIV/AIDS education.
Interspersing circus acrobatics with dramatic scenes, for the last fifteen years, One Love Theater has provided youth with important training in a host of creative arts and has spurred the development of many young people, including Behulum, who are now working artists.
Behulum will be touring a number of schools throughout the state, including Vergennes High School, Mary Hogan Elementary School, Middlebury Union Middle School, and The Walden Project sharing both his art and reflections on his work with the One Love Theater. Schools visited will include Vermont partner educators who traveled to Hawassa, Ethiopia over the last few years as part of the Education and Ethnography course offered through Castelton University.
According to Willowell Foundation Executive Director, Matthew Schlein “Behulum is one of the leading young artists in Ethiopia and the sharing of both his work and his stories will undoubtedly inspire and build bridges of understanding between our cultures.  We are fortunate  to have him around in our State for the next few months, creating his art and building support and awareness for the One Love Theater.”
For more information, contact Matt Schlein at [email protected].