During the month of August, Engaging Matters is republishing some of the most widely read articles from the five years this blog has been in existence. Several times I have suggested it’s necessary to understand that some of our internal, somewhat coded language is off-putting to the world beyond our inner circles. “Arts for arts sake” is one example. Art for Art’s Sake? There’s No Such Thing (from early in 2012 and copied below) attempts to … [Read more...]
Five Years On
July 30 marked the fifth anniversary of Engaging Matters. On the one hand, it seems like yesterday that this journey began; on the other, it feels like it’s been going on forever. I can barely remember what it was like not to think about the blog potential of virtually every single thing I do. (Some of you may remember posts about minor league baseball games I attended!) I began posting twice a week, but after a couple of years exhaustion led me … [Read more...]
Community Engagement Training?–Request for Assistance
For the last four years my professional life has been focused almost exclusively on community engagement advocacy, workshops, and training. Most of the work has been advocacy and workshops, along with some one-on-one work with arts organizations. State and local arts agencies–due to their broad accountability to communities and to public officials–most consistently see the need to change our mental models for doing business in the arts. … [Read more...]
Responding to Pain
Communities are hurting. African-American. Other communities of color. Their allies. Law enforcement. You don't need to be particularly "tuned in" to know this. What is your arts organization doing in response? The answer to this question is a powerful indicator (forgive me: "metric") of the depth and quality of institutional commitment to and capacity for engagement. "Nothing" may indicate an assumption (even an unconscious one) that arts … [Read more...]
What Can Be Left Out
Last time I commented on an experience I'd had at the Charlotte Jazz Festival. (What You Can Leave Out) I observed a pianist doubling on harmonica who on one occasion had considerable difficulty getting the harmonica out of his hand so he could get both hands on the piano part. While extricating himself from the harmonica he did what all good jazz pianists do, played the essential notes with his other hand until both were available. This is not … [Read more...]
Gard Foundation Symposium at Wingspread
As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Robert Gard's Arts in the Small Community, the Robert E. Gard Foundation, along with the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread and the Wisconsin Arts Board, is sponsoring a gathering of thought leaders in arts-based community development (and related fields) at the Wingspread Conference Center in Wisconsin September 7-9. While due to the size of the Wingspread facilities this is … [Read more...]
Are You Getting Enough Bang for Your Buck?
by Zannie Voss Director, National Center for Arts Research This post is part of a series in conjunction with TRG Arts on developing relationships with both new communities and existing stakeholders through artistic programming, marketing and fundraising, community engagement and public policy. (Cross-post can be found at Analysis from TRG Arts.) In the National Center for Arts Research’s Edition 3 report on the health of the U.S. arts and … [Read more...]
Making Friends
It has been over a year since I found an excuse to write about Nala (our dog). (Art and Puppies) The time to do so again has come. Recently I was walking her and saw a woman eye us and back away. As we passed she said, almost apologetically, "I'm afraid of dogs." I could have explained to her that Nala is a sweetheart who just wants to be loved and to love everybody, but as we passed I simply said, "I understand." This raised two thoughts that … [Read more...]
Cultural Equity
On May 23 Americans for the Arts released its new Statement on Cultural Equity. Before going any further, let me acknowledge that I'm a white guy of a certain age and have no expertise to comment on it. Nevertheless, I'm vitally interested in this. My interest is based on 1) a deep personal conviction about the issue and 2) an awareness that without embracing substantive steps toward equity and making real changes as a result the nonprofit arts … [Read more...]
Artists and Relationship Building
by Laura Zabel This post is part of a series in conjunction with TRG Arts on developing relationships with both new communities and existing stakeholders through artistic programming, marketing and fundraising, community engagement and public policy. (Cross-post can be found at Analysis from TRG Arts.) There is a lot of work right now on building demand, value and interest in the contributions of art and artists to places, social change, … [Read more...]