Many of you, on the basis of the title alone, could write this post yourself. Porgy and Bess is an iconic masterwork of the arts in the U.S. It is justifiably performed countless times by opera companies everywhere. And it sometimes provides a textbook example of the myopia with which arts organizations often conduct themselves in communities. On numerous occasions, when I am discussing engagement and the necessity of developing and being in … [Read more...]
Shifting the Center
You are now privy to the reason I became a musician rather than a visual artist. (Or at least one reason.) I deeply appreciate good graphic design but my capacity for creation is, shall we say, limited. What you see here is the best I can do. Honestly! Yet as crude as this is, I think it gets the point across. I have attempted to articulate the thought that the picture expresses on a number of occasions and I discover that the adage about … [Read more...]
Engagement Demands Change
I've recently returned from presenting two workshops dealing with the arts and community engagement. Both in Grand Rapids, MI, one was part of the Midwest Arts Conference sponsored by ArtsMidwest and the Mid-American Arts Alliance. The other was at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University. As always happens, the experience opened up new insights for me in several different categories. One helped clarify for me the … [Read more...]
Citizen Musician Initiative
EM's List Member Citizen Musicians [This post is by EM's List Editor/Curator, Stephanie Moore] Citizen Musician Initiative: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Who are Citizen Musicians? Musicians from the concert hall to the living room utilizing their talent and passion to improve the quality of life in their community: this idea is the guiding principle behind the Citizen Musician Initiative. Led by Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant … [Read more...]
Lessons from the Ballpark
Blogging comes with an “occupational” hazard. Everything you do ends up having the potential for becoming a blog post, often when you least expect it. (Wait until you see the upcoming essay that began at a Jimmy Buffett concert!) Last month I was minding my own business attending a minor league baseball game with friends, thinking not a whit about the arts and community engagement. Then something remarkable happened. Between innings, a young girl … [Read more...]
Insight from the Concert Hall
Once again, Greg Sandow has given us a valuable framework for thinking about engagement. His recent post, Four keys to the future, has been cited by many already and deserves to be read and studied. I cannot see any need to add to what he said. I'll only observe that the principles he gives for a viable future for classical music are perfectly applicable across the arts. His four points are: Understand and respect the culture outside classical … [Read more...]
Engagement Is On-going
As she has a tendency to do, Nina Simon has made me think again. (There are days, I will confess, when I wish no one would do that to me.) Her August post in Museum 2.0 about arts experiences being pearls on a necklace needing string to tie them together (What's the String that Ties One Experience at Your Institution with the Next?) reminded me about the observation I made in my Clybourne Park post. For the person coming to our events, arts … [Read more...]
Placemaking
In October I am speaking in Washington, DC to the Community Development Interest Group at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies annual conference, Assembly 2012. (That was a mouthful!) They are going to be focusing on Creative Placemaking. When asked what my topic would be, it seemed like "Beyond Placemaking" might be energizing, for them and for me. I've written previously (Creative Placemaking) about my concern that "placemaking" might … [Read more...]
Engagement Principles from a Marketer
In The Farmer and the Cowman I posited that arts marketers and community engagement advocates (in my case, probably "zealots" would be more appropriate) should be great friends and collaborators. In it I mentioned a series that Trevor O'Donnell (MARKETING THE ARTS TO DEATH) is doing on inexpensive approaches to marketing research. In another "hall of mirrors" moment of blogging, I was grinning ear to ear at his list of principles for marketing … [Read more...]
Passage Theatre Company
EM's List Member Shakespeare in the Streets of St. Louis [This post is by EM's List Editor/Curator, Stephanie Moore] Passage Theatre Company: Showcasing the People of Trenton, NJ Passage Theatre Company has been a part of the Trenton, NJ cultural scene for over 25 years. Throughout this tenure Passage Theatre has focused on developing and producing plays that challenge and engage diverse audiences. They are fully committed to the diverse … [Read more...]