How many dead kids is too many?
In Indiana, 81 kids were killed from firearm misuse in 2023. 44 of those kids were from Indianapolis.
The team behind The G.U.N. Project, Asante Art Institute and React, are renowned for creating educational and socially-engaged theatre with youth in Indianapolis.
Now, we are joining forces to tackle the number one cause of death in American youth:
Gun Violence.
The G.U.N. Project, an original play made by youth, for youth, is a call for peace over violence, hope over fear, and love over hate.
The play will be made in collaboration between student actors and professional theatre makers over 3 years, and will be performed across the city and state to 6th-12th graders.
Student audiences will be led through conversations about responsible gun ownership, the history and culture of guns, and nonviolent conflict resolution strategies through informed theatrical storytelling, which uses empathy-building and real life stories to bring new perspectives to the discussion.
This project will be a life-shaping experience for young people, encouraging them to contribute to the healing and wellbeing of their communities and to take their right to safety and life into their own hands.
The power of theatre as a tool for social change can mobilize an entire generation to choose peace.
Asante Art Institute and React have provided safe and transformative spaces where young people can learn, grow, and build community through the power of theatre training for decades.
Both organizations have a history of using theatre as a tool for social change with youth in Indianapolis, and have witnessed the impact it has on audiences of all ages.
Other local organizations and those with first hand experience on both sides of gun violence will contribute to this programming to ensure that this play and the supplementary educational materials are nonpartisan, informed by current data, and encourage nonviolence. Partners currently include: Peace Learning Center, IU School of Public Health, IU School of Medicine, and Hoosiers Concerned about Gun Violence.
The G.U.N. Project will bridge race, class, and politics using a multiplicity of voices and perspectives to foster the cultural shifts needed around gun ownership to inspire change, safety, and peace.
Project in partnership with:
