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Engaging Matters

Doug Borwick on vibrant arts and communities

From Here to There

February 16, 2013 by Doug Borwick

YouAreHereLast 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. Nina Simon has written that the Irvine Foundation is having difficulty getting strong proposals for its Exploring Engagement program. Clayton Lord has presented several concerns about the difficulty of institutional transformation, especially with respect to diversity as defined by race. (Diversification as Disruption and The Weight of White People in the World). And Diane Ragsdale has weighed in with On coercive philanthropy and change, acknowledging that funders and organizations need to be honest with themselves and others about the time and money required for significant institutional transformation. (And since I drafted this a bit over a week ago, Barry Hessenius has joined the fray–Coercive Philanthropy? Legitimacy v. Wisdom as has Ian David Moss–Why aren’t there more butts of color in these seats?  Ian always gets style points for his titles.)

There are so many elements to this. It’s tempting (and would be debilitating) to try to address them all. Mr. Lord’s discussion of  the difference between valuing and managing diversity is helpful and important to bear in mind. Mr. Moss is particularly on point in acknowledging that much, if not all, of this chatter is coming from white liberals. Guilty, guilty, guilty!) However, let’s not lose sight of the fact that race is only one element with which we must be concerned. Beyond that, my work, other than my cheerleader advocacy for community engagement, is focused on helping sort through how to get from here to there, once the decision is made to travel. That decision must ultimately come from inside the organization. It is my thesis that such a decision is one to be made not just for moral reasons but for self-preservation, taking a long view. The commitment to engage is, then, the essential first move. Indeed the first two steps on my Eightfold Path to Community Engagement are:

1. Belief: know and trust that engagement is good for the arts and good for the community
No work in this field can be successful in the long term unless those involved truly believe it should be done. This cannot be entered into as “window dressing.” It must be and seem real.
2. Commitment: provide, ungrudgingly, the time and money that engagement requires
The early stages of relationship building should not immediately yield big projects. Be patient. Persevere.

So, what I will be addressing in successive posts are how our work in the areas of programming, governance, and development (marketing and fundraising) can be altered in the service of engagement while using existing resources. That said, I think it’s important, before I begin to share the caveat I include in almost all my workshops and trainings. To deal with diverse populations (and that includes all kinds of diversity) it’s important first to know that there are worlds of things that one does now know, second, find out what you can, and third, learn the things you need to learn. Here’s my partial list of categories:

  • Cultural Humility
  • The Understanding of Privilege
  • Communities and Community Organizing
  • Discussion of Difficult Issues
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Self Knowledge
  • Strategies for Engagement
  • Learning Styles/Teaching Techniques
  • Interdisciplinary Knowledge

Not everyone involved in working with communities needs to be expert in all of these (who could be?), but organizations in transition need access to these forms of knowledge/wisdom in their interaction with new constituencies. And, if you don’t think it’s an arts organizations job to undertake any of this, don’t do so. I’m clear it’s not part of the core mission. But I believe, for reasons of self-interest if no other, more and more will see this work as vital to their future. Sustainability in the long term is going to demand it.

Engage, with eyes wide open!

Doug

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Filed Under: Overview, Principles Tagged With: arts, community engagement, diversity, mainstreaming, public good

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  1. Around the horn: diversity edition | Createquity. says:
    February 19, 2013 at 10:11 pm

    […] perspectives on race and the arts continue to roll in, with responses from Jon Silpayanamant, Doug Borwick, and this particularly trenchant one from Trevor O’Donnell (I’d love to get him and […]

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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Archives

Recent Comments

  • David Pankratz on Reimagine Yourself: “Hi Doug, Appreciated the library and automotive analogies. Here’s another from the world of public transportation. There’s an ongoing debate…” Feb 17, 11:22
  • Jerry Yoshitomi on Build Back Better: “Doug: Thank you again for this. Again, right on the mark. I’ve heard that rebuilding a house that has been…” Feb 4, 17:10
  • Alan Harrison on Build Back Better: “Excellent. If, in a year, the nation sees the arts as an elitist escape for the privileged – as they…” Feb 3, 03:01
  • Alan Harrison on Matter: “Brilliant once again. I think the issue of inward-facing acclaim (instead of outward-facing impact) being so prevalent among dying arts…” Jan 27, 07:17
  • Jerry Yoshitomi on Connect: “Doug: Thank you again for this. You’re suggesting that we must develop new ‘capacities’ or ‘muscles’ in order to be…” Jan 13, 21:24

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