Mileposts are those small signs we see (or, usually, ignore) as we speed along the interstate that indicate how far we've travelled. It's only in the rarest instances that anyone pays them any attention. Some people probably never do. Arts organizations are event-driven. We maintain in our heads an often unacknowledged chronology of progress from one event to the next. We pay extreme attention to the content and production of each event but this … [Read more...]
One Jupiter
Jupiter, Florida in northern Palm Beach County is home to a very large population of Guatemalan immigrants. In April 2015, Onesimo Lopez-Ramos, an 18-year-old member of that community, was murdered outside his home by a group of young men who later told police they were out “Guat’ hunting.” In response to this tragedy, El Sol, a local resource center for Guatemalan immigrants, Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, and the Lighthouse ArtCenter … [Read more...]
Communities as Data Points?
Sometimes a blog post derives from seeing something that only tangentially relates to its point. Such is the case with this one. A while ago I saw an article on the Wallace Foundation's support of a project for Ballet Austin. It is an interesting and valuable marketing study related to audiences, arts industry assumptions about them, and new ways to draw more people into new work based on the research. It is a fascinating report and an important … [Read more...]
Riverside Art Museum
In May I was invited to speak at a convening of the Irvine Foundation's New California Arts Fund grantees. Each of the cohort's 14 arts organizations really gets engagement and is extremely active living out the work of connecting with communities. There were many, many wonderful stories of effective community engagement. However, one in particular made a deep impression upon me. One part of the impression was the power of an example that … [Read more...]
Evaluating Engagement
I am developing a training program for people interested in enhancing their skills in guiding organizations toward more effective community engagement. [For details email info@artsengaged.com.] Several small groups have completed or are in the process of helping me beta test it. As part of the process I have been refining my criteria for substantive engagement. I begin with what appear to me to be the four critical elements of relationship … [Read more...]
Contextualize First
The tendency to imagine that community engagement demands all kinds of new work, new approaches, and new venues makes the consideration of engagement nearly impossible for some. Last week in Essential Gradualism I pointed out that undertaking no immediate steps is often the best approach. Earlier, in Keep It Simple I made the case that even when programming becomes a part of the engagement process it is best to "go simple." Engagement can often … [Read more...]
Essential Gradualism
An occasionally expressed concern about community engagement is that current stakeholders will be driven away by imagined precipitous changes to the organization and/or its offerings. There are a couple of responses to this that should be comforting. First, community engagement should begin with the community that is your core constituents. Getting their feedback on plans and involving them in the process of making your organization indispensable … [Read more...]
When Free Is Insufficient
They won't even come when it's free! That lament from an arts administrator, with eyes rolled and hands thrown up, demonstrates a profound lack of connection with the subject of the exclamation. It is usually expressed in a "safe space" in an arts organization's office or conference room. I get the frustration but let's break it down a bit. First, nothing is ever really "free." At the least there is opportunity cost: what might someone be doing … [Read more...]
Communities as Resources
Some time ago I happened to catch a segment on the PBS News Hour featuring the Harvard educated DJ Jace Clayton (who goes by the name DJ/rupture). He works by collecting music of all kinds from all over the world and creating fusions of many styles. He seeks out interesting and unusual music in villages, street corners, and back alleys. Any music is worthy of consideration. Dancing is, of course, an ultimate goal. By itself I found this … [Read more...]
Talk with Them
We have recently upgraded to a new used car from a very (very) old used car. Since this one is ten years younger than our last model, there are significant (and daunting) new bells and whistles. (Love the rear camera!) But one feature has kind of blown me away. The rear hatch will open (and then close) simply by kicking your foot under the bumper. This means that with loaded arms and/or kids in tow, you don't need to fumble for keys or an opener … [Read more...]