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Engaging Matters

Doug Borwick on vibrant arts and communities

Building Communities, Not Audiences

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Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the U.S., written and edited by Doug Borwick, holds that established arts organizations, for practical and moral reasons, need to be more deeply connected to their communities. It serves as an essential primer for any member of the arts community–artist, administrator, board member, patron, or friend–who is interested in the future of the arts. It also provides new ways of looking at the arts as a powerful force for building better communities and improving the lives of all.

It is from community that the arts developed
and it is in serving communities that the arts will thrive . . .
Communities do not exist to serve the arts;
the arts exist to serve communities.

Building Communities, Not Audiences identifies the factors that serve to isolate established arts organizations from their communities, points out the trends that loom as imminent threats to the long-term viability of the artistic status quo, and presents principles and mechanisms whereby arts organizations can significantly extend their reach into the community, supporting enhanced sustainability. Included are case studies and examples of successful community engagement work being conducted by arts organizations from around the U.S. Twenty-three contributors, representing chamber music, dance, museums, opera, orchestras, and theatre as well as an array of arts administration perspectives provide breadth of coverage.

The economic, social, and political environments out of which the infrastructure for Western ‘high arts’ grew have changed.  Today’s major arts institutions, products of that legacy, no longer benefit from relatively inexpensive labor, a nominally homogeneous culture, or a polity openly managed by an elite class. Expenses are rising precipitously and competition for major donors is increasing; as a result, the survival of established arts organizations hinges on their ability to engage effectively with a far broader segment of the population than has been true to date.

See also: Engage Now! A Guide to Making the Arts Indispensable

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From the Foreword by Rocco Landesman, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts:

“I think the days of the arts in ivory towers are behind us; the very best arts organizations are . . . connecting communities with artists . . . .  Not only can the arts build communities, I think we must.”

From the Foreword by Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts:

“Doug Borwick calls for substantive rather than superficial efforts, authentic and systemic changes. . . . The challenge is not whether to build communities or audiences but how to build communities and audiences together.”

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Contributors:
Barbara Schaffer Bacon: Co-Director, Animating Democracy
Sandra Bernhard: Director, HGOco, Houston Grand Opera
Susan Badger Booth: Professor, Eastern Michigan University
Tom Borrup: Principal, Creative Community Builders
Ben Cameron: Program Director for the Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
William Cleveland: Director, Center for the Study of Art and Community
Lyz Crane: Community Development Consultant
David Dombrosky: CMO, InstantEncore
Maryo Gard Ewell: Community Arts Consultant
Tom Finkelpearl: Executive Director, Queens Museum of Art
Pam Korza: Co-Director, Animating Democracy
Denise Kulawik: Principal, Oneiros, LLC, andDevelopment Consultant to Pillsbury House Theatre
Helen Lessick: Artist and Civic Art Advocate
Dorothy Gunther Pugh: Founder & Artistic Director, Ballet Memphis
Stephanie Moore: Arts and Culture Researcher
Diane Ragsdale: Cultural Critic, Speaker, Writer
Noel Raymond: Co-Director, Pillsbury House Theatre, St. Paul, MN
Preranna Reddy: Director of Public Events, Queens Museum of Art
Sebastian Ruth: Founder & Artistic Director, Community MusicWorks, Providence, RI
Russell Willis Taylor: President and CEO, National Arts Strategies
James Undercofler: Professor, Drexel University; former President and CEO, Philadelphia Orchestra
Roseann Weiss: Director, CAT Institute, Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis, MO

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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

  • 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
  • Alan Harrison on Connect: “Brilliantly put, once again. Thanks, Doug!” Jan 13, 02:43
  • Jackie Mathis on Getting the Question(s) Right: “I have been spending a lot of time thinking about this, and there seems to me a huge opportunity for…” Jan 7, 18:06
  • Trevor O’Donnell on Getting the Question(s) Right: ““Connect and then Matter” Brilliant. Should be the new mantra for every arts organization.” Jan 6, 10:35
  • David Barclay Pankratz on Why Engage?: “Thanks for your very thoughtful post, Penny. And thanks for publishing this, Doug. I’m a steering committee member for the…” Nov 11, 20:39

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