WE:SHAPE
What is WE:Shape?
WE:Shape, is an interdisciplinary lab committed to transforming how artistic practices are taught, created, and sustained. The initiative operates at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, trauma studies, performing arts & music, politics, and history, developing human-centered frameworks for music and performing arts institutions, universities, schools, cultural organizations, independent pedagogues, and individuals from diverse fields.
At a time when social division, mistrust, and a widespread sense of unsafety are shaping
both local and global politics, WE:Shape investigates what human beings truly need for
safe, dignified, and sustainable coexistence. The project foregrounds the role of
performative art, storytelling, and communal artistic practices as essential tools for
fostering connection, resilience, and mutual understanding.
With a particular emphasis on body-centered artistic practices, WE:Shape recognizes
the body as a locus of memory, vulnerability, creativity, and knowledge. Through this
lens, the lab facilitates artistic project, research, workshops, dialogues, and collaborative formats that support the development of sustainable, inclusive, and trauma-aware artistic and educational environments.
WE:Shape aims to contribute to long-term cultural transformation by bridging artistic
practice with psychological insight, sociopolitical analysis, and historical awareness—
ultimately strengthening the well-being, integrity, and creative potential of individuals
and communities.
What WE:Shape Offers:
WE:Shape focuses on fostering safety, sustainability, and dignity in the arts and art education, always grounded in the sociopolitical realities of the communities it serves.
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WE:Shape facilitates, curates, and creates innovative projects that intersect with:
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Performance and embodied artistic practices
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Public debates and critical conversations
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Symposia, round tables, and podium discussions
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Workshops, trainings, and community-engaged formats
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WE:Shape offers these formats in collaboration with:
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Music and performing arts institutions
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Festivals and cultural venues
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Universities and schools, including those offering Human Rights & Arts studies
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Forums related to arts, science, and politics
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Music and performing arts academies and educational programs
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Grassroots initiatives and community organizations
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Independent pedagogues, practitioners, and artists
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Through these partnerships, WE:Shape cultivates inclusive, human-centered approaches to artistic and educational practice, with a focus on implementing safe, culturally informed, and sustainable artistic methods.
Founder, Artistic & Creative Director
Golnar Shahyar is a vocalist, composer, educator, and cultural thinker
whose work bridges artistic innovation with social awareness and embodied understanding. Her teaching and facilitation at institutions such as the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Wiener Festwochen, Brunnenpassage, European Forum Alpbach, D/Arts, and the Musikverein focus on equity, inclusion, diversity, and the lived realities of artistic practice—particularly for those whose artistic work and identities intersect with sociopolitical challenges such as war, dictatorship, censorship, and intergenerational trauma.
As the founder and artistic director of WE:Shape, Shahyar integrates insights from psychology, somatics, performing arts, politics, and history to develop trauma-aware, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to artistic and educational work. Her practice centers the body as a site of memory, vulnerability, and imagination, and advocates for creative environments rooted in dignity, safety, and critical inquiry.
Shahyar believes that art becomes truly transformative when it is connected to education, reflection, and care—an ethos that forms the foundation of WE:Shape.
WE:Shape Story
WE:Shape was originally initiated in 2022 by Golnar Shahyar (Musician, Composer, Educator) Rojin Sharafi (sound artist, composer & performer) and Yalda Zamani (conductor) as a response to the urgent need for greater diversity and representation in the performing arts and music. Emerging during the pandemic, the platform sought to raise awareness around these issues and to build a network of artists committed to strengthening community bonds and addressing the varied needs and requirements for a more sustainable and just artistic ecosystem.
After the pandemic, and due to the time and energy limitations of each of the co-founders, the activities of WE:Shape entered a pause. During this period, the discourse around diversity in the arts shifted considerably: diversity work began facing more complex and nuanced challenges, while broader sociopolitical changes across Europe and beyond introduced new pressures and highlighted the need for innovative and evolving methodologies.
In response to these developments, Golnar Shahyar decided to return to the platform and revive WE:Shape in its current form. Today, WE:Shape seeks to meet this transformed landscape by exploring the intersections of art, embodied experience, and sociocultural awareness—where embodied experience refers to how the body carries memory, emotion, and expression in artistic practice, and what safe, sustainable, and thriving artistic practice requires in relation to this. Through this lens, WE:Shape develops new approaches for fostering a more inclusive, resilient, and human-centered artistic community.