Even very casual readers of this blog have seen numerous mentions of Nina Simon, her blog Museum 2.0, and references to her work at The Museum of Art & History in Santa Cruz. There are at least two reasons for that. First, she writes well and often in her blog. Second, and more important, her work puts into practice a deep belief in community engagement as a key to successful arts organizations. Having spent my life in academia, I have a … [Read more...]
The Ink People
It is a pleasure to highlight an organization that came to my attention via a post on ARTSblog, Expanding Community Participation. The Ink People is a longstanding (since 1979) part of the community in Eureka, CA. They serve artists and the community by: Encouraging excellence in the showing, teaching, and making of art Exploring the boundaries of art and culture Helping develop community-generated arts and cultural … [Read more...]
Healthy Art!
Ever since I posted an entry citing lessons from the Slow Food Movement for community engagement work–Slow Food, Engaged Arts (still my most widely-read post)–I've been bookmarking articles dealing with the arts and health. It's a surprisingly long list. Coming on the heals of the Holidays, it seemed this might be an opportune time to be thinking healthy thoughts. In a post last September (Museums Can Change the World: Improving the Nation’s … [Read more...]
Pomegranate Center
I have been waiting for an excuse to write about the Pomegranate Center, one of those organizations built on a cool concept that more people need to know. Then I realized I didn't need an excuse. Here's the founding premise, as presented on the website: "magic happens when art, creative thinking, and community join forces." Milenko Matonovic, the founding executive director "is a self-described recovering artist." How could I not highlight … [Read more...]
Winds of Change: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
I am sorely tempted to simply post the link to Art Works' blog post about Omaha's Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts–Artists-in-Community at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts–and call it a day. I'm tempted, but in spite of what some of you might wish, I won't succumb. The Bemis Center is clearly an arts-centered entity. Its mission is: The spirit and programs of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts are based on the conviction that … [Read more...]
Clybourne Park
I was recently in Chicago for an Association of Arts Administration Educators Board meeting. While there I was lucky to score the last ticket for a performance of Bruce Norris's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Clybourne Park, at Steppenwolf Theatre. Not being a theater critic, I won't try to review the play itself. The production does represent a serious commitment by a significant regional theatre company to be relevant to the city in which it … [Read more...]
El Sistema: The Phenomenon
By now, there are probably few in the arts world that do not know about Venezuela's El Sistema, its U.S. (and other) franchises, or its principal ambassador, LA Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. The results of that national system of community youth orchestras has taken the breath away from thousands of music lovers around the world. José Antonio Abreu's vision of every Venezuelan child playing in an orchestra has yielded stunning … [Read more...]
Winds of Change: Houston Grand Opera
In the minds of the general public, opera is often seen as the most distant and elitist of the arts. (Opera lovers, don't pile on. I'm simply articulating what is a fairly common "on the street" perception.) That is why examples of deep community engagement coming from the opera world are so compelling and so important for the entire arts industry. Houston Grand Opera, founded in 1955, has made a strong commitment to engagement. The company's … [Read more...]
Brooklyn Philharmonic
A recent guest post by Katherine Gressel on Createquity (The new Brooklyn Philharmonic: A “Site-Specific” Orchestra?) discusses the Brooklyn Philharmonic's efforts to become more deeply involved with the neighborhoods that make up the borough. The BP is re-emerging after a budget-induced two-year hiatus. In doing so, the orchestra is programming in venues around Brooklyn, attempting in each to present music that matters to the residents "with … [Read more...]
Or?
A recent ARTSblog post Civic Engagement in the Arts in Action-Part I (thanks Maya Kumazawa) brought to mind a topic that needs to be addressed. The post featured an interesting organization called Dance 4 Peace. (I love it when a group nails its mission with its name. It's hard not to understand what D4P is about–"Dancing to inspire cultures of peace"–even if the methods need explaining.) Their website says that "Dance 4 Peace is a conflict … [Read more...]