I am at the Association of Arts Administration Educators' Annual Conference in Claremont, CA this weekend.That by itself is in no way remarkable. I'm the Board President and I certainly ought to be here. But this particular occasion is a marker for several significant transitions in my life. Before I get to those, I should mention that this year's AAAE Conference is a special occasion for all of us. This is the first time the Association has met … [Read more...]
Signs of Engagement
While I'm on a roll with posts dissecting the meaning and nature of engagement (Engagement Is, Audience Development “vs.” Community Engagement, Audience Engagement-Community Engagement), I've got some more issues to raise (or repeat). I have made much of the fact that substantive community engagement (as opposed to audience engagement) is extremely rare among established arts organizations. In an effort to stave off arguments about that, here are … [Read more...]
Rustbelt to Artsbelt
I am attending a conference in St Louis hosted by the Regional Art Commission of St. Louis and the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture of Cleveland. The conference’s title is Rustbelt to Artsbelt: At the Crossroads, Arts-Based Community Development Convening. I attended the initial At the Crossroads conference two years ago and found it a fascinating opportunity to connect with grassroots community engagement activity around the … [Read more...]
What Matters
9/11/2001-9/11/2011 To be honest, until only a few moments ago, I had not intended to post an entry dealing with the anniversary of 9/11. I didn't (don't) feel I have anything particularly exceptional to say; many are weighing in with far more profound insights and examples than I have at the ready. Nor do I want to (or want to appear to) capitalize on this occasion for any purpose whatsoever. But in the end, with the date just two days away … [Read more...]