In a summer's over "manifesto" of sorts, here is why I am so adamant about the need to more fully engage with our communities. Business schools and “common knowledge” both tell stories of the crisis faced by “buggy whip manufacturers” with the advent and then the transportation victory of the automobile. As the horse and buggy faded from the scene, the need (and market) for buggy whips plummeted. The companies that remained totally or largely … [Read more...]
Benefits of the Arts
One of the best things about blogging (especially in the summer when so many of my colleagues in academia are paying less attention) is the opportunity to experiment with ideas that are, shall we say, not fully baked. Careful (and long-time) readers of this blog may recall that in my post Art for Art's Sake? There's No Such Thing, I expressed some discomfort with the notions of intrinsic and instrumental benefits of the arts. That construct … [Read more...]
Two Tribes
While this post was inspired by the recent Americans for the Arts Conference in Pittsburgh, I'm not labeling it as AftA Thoughts like my other two because it's inspired by 1) a session I did not attend and 2) a post-conference gathering of NASAA's (National Assembly of State Arts Agencies) Community Development Network. In the former, Holly Sidford was interviewed about her research. While hearsay is a notoriously unreliable way to gather … [Read more...]
China Thoughts
So, I've now been to China, Beijing specifically. I was privileged to have been invited to speak for a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the arts management program at the China Conservatory of Music. A single trip does not make one an expert on China! It does not even make one semi-literate about it. That said, it was a wonderful experience that broadened my horizons substantially. It also reinforced the lesson that surprised me last year … [Read more...]
The Arts Benefit from Engagement
This blog is all about the arts and community engagement. Last time (More on Artists and Engagement) I began a discussion about the role of the artist in this mix. Here, I want to consider yet again the fact that community-focused or community-aware art does not in any way imply inferior art. Contrary to assumptions some make, community engagement does not even remotely mean churning out Lion King sequels. The assumption that it does suggests … [Read more...]
The Engagement Quiz
I am in the midst of a series of workshops and speaking engagements, centered around the theme of Mainstreaming Engagement. One early sponsor, Anne Katz of Arts Wisconsin, asked me to come up with questions for workshop participants to consider ahead of time, and I realized that a set of them I had put together earlier had rolled off my radar screen. Since I think they are fairly helpful additions to the workshop, I thought it would be good to … [Read more...]
Can You Feel the Love?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R0Fpl67p5qk A while ago I ran into this video clip. (Forgive me, I can't remember where. Facebook I imagine.) In the midst of some fairly heavy-duty posts, I thought now might be a good time to share it. The original source for me was http://twentytwowords.com/2013/01/11/choir-of-old-men-break-out-in-song-while-hanging-out-at-tim-hortons/, where we are told: After practice on Mondays, … [Read more...]
The White Racial Frame
[Guest post–second on this topic–by Roberto Bedoya, Executive Director of the Tucson Pima Arts Council. Mr. Bedoya reflects on the need to consider the impact of unconscious racial perspectives before we address diversity policies in the sector.] Before I offer my commentary, I want to give thanks to my peers for responding to my prompt. This inquiry into the perplexities and complexities of whiteness that we see working in the cultural sector … [Read more...]
From Here to There
Last month I promised (some might say threatened) to begin a series on the potential for mainstreaming community engagement. That is, understanding that we don't have resources to do more than we are already doing, how might we reorient the things we already do in ways that serve engagement? But before I begin, it would be incredibly myopic not to acknowledge that there is much relevant discussion going on about transformation in the field. … [Read more...]
Farewell Rocco
Rocco Landesman's departure from the NEA and Barry Hessenius's interviews of Rocco and his Chief of Staff, Jamie Bennett, provide an occasion to reflect a bit on Mr. Landesman's legacy in federal arts policy and advocacy. (Disclosure: Jamie has been very good to me in providing support, advice, access to NEA staff, a brief "meet and greet" with his boss, and the Foreword that Rocco wrote for my book.) I suspect (hope) that the lasting impact … [Read more...]