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Engaging Matters

Doug Borwick on vibrant arts and communities

Under the Radar-2

September 7, 2011 by Doug Borwick

Photo credits below

For over a decade, the Community Arts Network was the world’s single most comprehensive website devoted the potential that the arts represent for community growth and improvement. It will be shocking to some that I include it in the “Under the Radar” category. For those of us vitally interested in the work of the arts in communities, CAN is (was-more on that in a second) the shining beacon on a hill illuminating all that was wonderful about community engagement work on the part of artists and arts organizations. That to many in the arts establishment CAN is unknown is one explanation of why I feel compelled to produce this blog.

It’s probably been a decade since I first discovered CAN, a project of Art in the Public Interest (when I first read the name of the organization my heart went pitty-pat) and a labor of love of Linda Frye Burnham and Steve Durland. Over the years, CAN–an outgrowth of High Performance magazine (issues are archived at CAN), another API project–collected in one place an incredible compendium of “what’s happening” examples, writings, research, and training opportunities in all areas related to connecting the arts and communities–not engagement as a marketing technique but as a path to deep, abiding, mutually beneficial relationships. It became what to me was one of the broadest, most comprehensive websites on any topic I have ever seen.

Unfortunately, the labor of love finally proved to be unsustainable.  After a long search for funding, the website was closed down for lack of resources to maintain it. Fortunately, it lives on in its last form (as of 9/6/10) via an archive sponsored by Indiana University. The link above is to that archive. The day-to-day life of CAN is now housed on Facebook. [CAN on Facebook] In that venue it is more open source than before, with anyone able to contribute. I hope a growing number of practitioners use it to keep us posted on their work.

If you are unfamiliar with CAN, I urge you to check out the archive as well as to keep up with its Facebook presence. The latter is a wealth of examples, research, and wisdom about community arts work. The latter is still one of the best ways of keeping current on “what’s happening” on the ground around the world in the arena of grassroots community engagement via the arts.

Engage!

Doug

 

Radar Photo
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Filed Under: Examples, Under the Radar

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  1. The Return of the Weekly Digest: Partnering with non-profits, musical inspiration, creativity « innovative ideas in performance and pedagogy says:
    September 14, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    […] the Community Arts Network, a wealth of examples, research, and wisdom about community arts […]

  2. Engaging Matters | Under the Radar-2 | Social Art Practices | Scoop.it says:
    September 15, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    […] Engaging Matters | Under the Radar-2 For over a decade, the Community Arts Network was the world's single most comprehensive website devoted the potential that the arts represent for community growth and improvement. … Source: http://www.artsjournal.com […]

  3. Under the Radar-2 | Hold Your Future says:
    October 6, 2011 at 9:41 am

    […] If you are unfamiliar with CAN, I urge you to check out the archive as well as to keep up with its Facebook presence. the latter is a wealth of examples, research, and wisdom about community arts work. the latter is still one of the best ways of keeping current on “what’s happening” on the ground around the world in the arena of grassroots community engagement via the arts. .af19_elegant { border: 1px solid #BEBEBE !important; padding: 40px !important; margin: 20px auto !important; width: 50% !important; box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; border-radius: 5px !important; -moz-border-radius: 5px !important; -webkit-border-radius: 5px !important; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left bottom,left top,color-stop(0.44, rgb(255,255,255)),color-stop(0.72, rgb(255,255,255)),color-stop(0.86, rgb(247,247,247))) !important; background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(center bottom,rgb(255,255,255) 44%,rgb(255,255,255) 72%,rgb(247,247,247) 86%) !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_title { font-size: 20px !important; color: #515151 !important; font-style: italic !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_content { color: #353535 !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_link a { color: #000 !important; } Can I Make Money With ClickBank Digital Products? If you have not heard of ClickBank allow me to introduce you to them. ClickBank is an online marketplace for digital products that allows marketers and businesses to attract the customers they would not find anywhere else. ClickBank was ranked the number one affiliate marketing network by Revenue Performance Magazine in November 2010. They have been around for over 20 years and have more than 70,000 vendors listing their digital products.ClickBank products sell every three seconds all around the world. As an affiliate marketer through ClickBank you will have access to all of those products. Your possibilities for income are endless. Once you master selling one of those quality eBooks just start advertising another and another. Your income will continue to grow as your marketing skills grow.Some topics of the eBooks they offer are: games, Internet, investing, health and fitness, foreign language, parenting, self-help and sports to name just a… Continue… Radar Photo Some rights reserved by Captain Smurf .af19_elegant { border: 1px solid #BEBEBE !important; padding: 40px !important; margin: 20px auto !important; width: 50% !important; box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 7px #A2A2A2 !important; border-radius: 5px !important; -moz-border-radius: 5px !important; -webkit-border-radius: 5px !important; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear,left bottom,left top,color-stop(0.44, rgb(255,255,255)),color-stop(0.72, rgb(255,255,255)),color-stop(0.86, rgb(247,247,247))) !important; background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(center bottom,rgb(255,255,255) 44%,rgb(255,255,255) 72%,rgb(247,247,247) 86%) !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_title { font-size: 20px !important; color: #515151 !important; font-style: italic !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_content { color: #353535 !important; } .af19_elegant .af19_link a { color: #000 !important; } Holly Madison Graces The Cover of Runway Magazines Summer 2011 Issue Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) June 23, 2011 Runway Magazineknown for its front-row, exclusive coverage of top runway shows around the world has just released its Summer 2011 issue. With summer being the magazines hot issue, Holly Madison (Es Hollys World and Girls Next Door star), was a perfect choice for the magazines cover. Runway Magazine staff traveled to Las Vegas for Hollys photo shootwhich took place at the brand new Nikki Beach Club at the newly-renovated Tropicana Resort & Casino. Runway was able to capture Hollys natural beauty in a wonderful spread, which is sure to delight readers.Last night Runway Magazine celebrated the release of the Summer 2011 issue with an exclusive dinner and launch party in honor of Holly Madison at Nikki Beach Club Las Vegas. In attendance were Hollys close friends, including: Josh Strickland (singer, actor and co-star of Peep Show and Hollys World), Angel Porrino (star of Absinthe and also featured Hollys World) and Lara Croft (Model, Playboy Playmate of the Month 2008). In addition to Holly, Runway Magazines Summer 2011 issue also sizzles with exclusive interviews with Hollywoods hottest up-and-coming talent. The issue features the Vh1s Single Ladies, star Stacey Dash, Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, TNTs Men of a Certain Age, star Brittany Curran, and a double dose vampires curtsey of HBO True Bloods sassiest vampire Kristen Bauer, and Syfys smoldering Being Human star Sam Witwer. Celebrity stylist Keylee Sanders,and the newly crowned Miss USAAlyssa Campanellaare are also featured. We are… Continue… Under the Radar-2 […]

About Doug Borwick

Doug Borwick is a past President of the Board of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and was for nearly 30 years Director of the Arts Management and Not-for-Profit Management Programs at Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC. He is CEO of Outfitters4, Inc., providing management services to nonprofit organizations and ArtsEngaged providing training and consultation to artists and arts organization to help them more effectively engage with their communities. [Read More …]

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About Engaging Matters

The arts began as collective activity around the campfire, expressions of community. In a very real sense, the community owned that expression. Over time, with increasing specialization of labor, the arts– especially Western “high arts”– became … [Read More...]

Books

Community Engagement: Why and How

Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the United States Engage Now! A Guide to Making the Arts Indispensable[Purchase info below] I have to be honest, I haven’t finished it yet because I’m constantly having to digest the ‘YES’ and ‘AMEN’ moments I get from each … [Read More...]

Gard Foundation Calls for Stories

The Robert E. Gard Foundation is dedicated to fostering healthy communities through arts-based development, it is currently seeking stories from communities in which the arts have improved the lives of citizens in remarkable ways. These stories can either be full descriptions (400-900 words) with photos, video, and web links or mini stories (ca. 200 words) […]

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