For our arts project we plan a section in which we symbolically will spread our wings. This is our idea, it is simple.

In our dreams we can fly. We reach realms of possibilities that in our daily life we believe to be unaccessible. What are our dreams? And what if those dreams came true?

To shape these questions into a piece of art we will need text, images and music as material. We know that there are many writers and photographers within the wordpress community and we would very much like you to contribute with your own words and works. Please read to the end, so you will learn how you can help us.

To give you examples of what we are searching for, I will show you two questions and little stories that go with them.

What if somebody had helped you spread your wings? Who would you be today?
This is American cellist Frances-Marie Uitti answer to it. On the occasion of Father’s Day she wrote on Facebook:

Remembering my astounding father, a Pop, not a Dad, who came from a Finnish miner’s background, was self educated: taught himself violin, astronomy, maker of 25 feet telescopes with self made lenses, sent himself and 5 brothers through college, and never stopped learning. A lover of nature, his ideal vacation was tramping around forests and fields. He inspired everyone around him to new levels of creativity and learning. When I was 6 he’d turn on the classical radio and make me guess the composers. Once on a road trip 5 hours away, he had me memorise all the towns we passed through. The cello was his gift to me, and when I showed him the 2 bow technique near the end of his life, he immediately understood the difficult part: the left hand. RIP Pop, I love you

What if we conquered our fears? Will it change my future?

An estimated number of 250 people died during the elections in Afghanistan in 2014. Yet, the old lady from Kabul you see on the image went to vote. She overcame her fear and voted for a better future for her people. On Facebook, Asma Nassery writes:

When I asked this lovely 80+ year old woman from Kabul what she was voting for today, she responded, “For peace and development…I am tired of war..I lost my two sons to war…I am voting for peace and a better future!”

These are just examples of two questions and the stories that go with them. Here some more questions, still waiting for their story. Maybe you know them…

What if your dreams are just predictions of the future? Would that make you happy or scared?

What if you changed sex, became a man, a woman, what would that mean for your life? Would people behave differently towards you?

Or my personal question:

What if I could code software like my partner? Would my art work be different?

And here a little Twitter harvest:

#Whatif we played well & lost. #Whatif no-one was to blame & they did their best. #Whatif Rooney did his job.

#Whatif 5SOS will have a concert here in the Philippines and have an album signing the next day.

You’re doing something that you love, whatever the turnout is. Need you ever say #whatif?

Of course, these are just questions and not yet a piece of art, but they will provide us with material to work with. Now, we have this request: we would like you to take part in gathering thoughts, ideas and inspirational stories. Tell us about your dreams and let us in.

How exactly can you contribute?

What is your #whatif question, dream or longing? Please let us know in the comment section.
If you have little stories like the ones by Franics Marie Uitti or Asma Nassery, please, tell us about them.
Maybe you have already written a post on a #whatif-thought, why not ping it back to us.
If you have a photo you find inspiring, please, point us to it, share it with the community.
If you have imagined a phantasy world in which everything is different, we would like to know about it.

Inspire us, give us questions, stories or images we might feature in our show. We are looking forward to your comments, contributions, thoughts and art work.

Hope to hear from you, surprise us,

the arts team of what if?