Paganicon 2016

"Cultural (mis) appropriation is a hot topic right now. Many of us involved in Pagan or Polytheistic spiritual practices are becoming more aware of hidden (if usually unintended) dangers in borrowing motifs or practices from cultures other than our own. How does this apply to art forms and creative works that express modern Pagan/Polytheist spiritual views?

How can "cultural appropriation" in the arts be distinguished from "cultural sharing", "cultural fusion" and the creation of art meant as tribute to, or inspiration from, other cultures? How can we intelligently navigate the boundaries between respectful inspiration and sharing, and outright stealing or misappropriation? Because Pagan/Polytheist paths involve material and conceptual inspirations from multiple sources, this is a very pertinent issue today.

The Minneapolis Collective of Pagan Artists invites all who are interested to join a panel/open discussion where we will touch on how these matters impact our work and then invite input from everyone. We intend to have additional guest panelists to offer additional views on how what these topics mean from the perspective of their culture."