by Clara Pinsky, Program Coordinator; Krissie Marty, Associate Choreographer; Allison Orr, Artistic Director Forklift Danceworks This post is part of a series in conjunction with TRG Arts on developing relationships with both new communities and existing stakeholders through artistic programming, marketing and fundraising, community engagement and public policy. (Cross-post can be found at Analysis from TRG Arts.) The need to deepen … [Read more...]
From Arts Experience to Human Experience
by Barry C. Hughson This post is part of a series in conjunction with TRG Arts on developing relationships with both new communities and existing stakeholders through artistic programming, marketing and fundraising, community engagement and public policy. (Cross-post can be found at Analysis from TRG Arts.) A few months ago, I attended the dress rehearsal for “Dreamers Ever Leave You”. It was a transformational artistic and human … [Read more...]
Artistic Excellence and Mutual Self-Interests
by Seema Sueko This post is part of a series in conjunction with TRG Arts on developing relationships with both new communities and existing stakeholders through artistic programming, marketing and fundraising, community engagement and public policy. (Cross-post can be found at Analysis from TRG Arts.) I serve as a theater director, producer, writer, and, in the past, actor. My artistic collaborators and I vigorously pursue artistic excellence … [Read more...]
Keep It Simple
In speeches, presentations, and workshops, I frequently get to the Q&A session and find myself faced with not a few perplexed expressions. In general, people understand the importance of community engagement. However, staff members of arts organizations in which substantive CE (as opposed to re-titled audience development) is a newish concept have difficulty getting their heads around what to do. My first response is to assure them that the … [Read more...]
ABCD and Community Engagement
For those who have been fostering connections between art and communities for years, the term Arts-Based Community Development is well known and, while not a perfect expression of the work, one that is immediately recognizable and understood in the field. It is a work for which I have nothing but admiration, regardless of what it's called. I'm a firm supporter of it. I would even go so far as to say that the work that arts organizations produce … [Read more...]
Library Lessons
A July article in the New York Times (Adding Classes and Content, Resurgent Libraries Turn a Whisper Into a Roar) told of the resurgence of libraries in New York City. Many readers might focus on the following paragraph: In the 2016 fiscal year [New York City] libraries received $360 million for operating costs, $33 million more than the year before — the largest increase in recent times. For the 2017 fiscal year, which began on Friday, city … [Read more...]
The Art of Relevance
I purchased my copy of Nina Simon’s The Art of Relevance on the first day it was available. I am only now posting comments about it because, frankly, I know more people are paying attention in September than are in July and August. Let me begin by saying that Ms. Simon is a gifted, compelling writer. She brings great passion and eloquence to bear on the need for far greater community awareness in the work of arts and cultural organizations. She … [Read more...]
Reflections on a Symposium
Last week I provided daily summaries of The Robert E. Gard Foundation's Our Communities: A Symposium on the Arts at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread's conference center. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 To be honest I have not had the courage to go back an re-read them as I am well aware of the fact that my listing of topics and key points was without synthesis and with very little context. With the advantage of a few days distance (and … [Read more...]
Gard Foundation Symposium–Our Communities: Day 3
Today was the final day of The Robert E. Gard Foundation's Our Communities: A Symposium on the Arts at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread's conference center. New Ideas for a World in Transition: A Next Generation of Work Savannah Barrett, Tatiana Hernandez, and Laura Zabel explored elements of structure and operations from the perspective of the youngest generation of community arts workers. This was for many a highlight of the conference. … [Read more...]
Gard Foundation Symposium–Our Communities: Day 2
Yesterday I began my reporting from The Robert E. Gard Foundation's Our Communities: A Symposium on the Arts at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread's conference center. Today was a full day presenting the history and current status of community/arts relationships and an introduction to thoughts about future directions. As you may well imagine, there is virtually no way to do justice to the presentations and discussion in a blog post or even a … [Read more...]