Today marked the beginning of The Robert E. Gard Foundation's gathering at the The Johnson Center at Wingspread's conference center outside Milwaukee. Announced here earlier this year, Our Communities: A Symposium on the Arts is a reflection on the state of arts/community connections on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Robert Gard's The Arts in the Small Community. To begin, tonight featured introductory welcomes by … [Read more...]
Gard Foundation Symposium–Our Communities: Begins Today
Today marks the beginning of The Robert E. Gard Foundation's gathering at the The Johnson Center at Wingspread's conference center outside Milwaukee. Announced here earlier this year, Our Communities: A Symposium on the Arts is a reflection on the state of arts/community connections on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Robert Gard's The Arts in the Small Community. Since this is a by-invitation-only event, I have been … [Read more...]
Fifth Anniversary Highlights: Transformative Engagement
During the month of August, Engaging Matters is republishing some of the most widely read articles from the five years this blog has been in existence. In a post from last December (Transformative Engagement), I introduced a new stage in my thinking about engagement. Engagement is a funny word. Among other things, we have to consider who is engaging with whom toward what end. Ultimately, though, if the work does not lead to some change in the … [Read more...]
Fifth Anniversary Highlights: The “Pandering” Straw Man
During the month of August, Engaging Matters is republishing some of the most widely read articles from the five years this blog has been in existence. The criticism that community engagement is "just giving people what they want" is, in some circles, as pervasive as it is maddening. A February 2014 post, The "Pandering" Straw Man addressed that issue. This post is not part of a series, so it may seem a bit out of context. I’ve addressed the … [Read more...]
Fifth Anniversary Highlights: Considering Whiteness
During the month of August, Engaging Matters is republishing some of the most widely read articles from the five years this blog has been in existence. One of the most pressing issues facing the future of the nonprofit arts industry is the role of race and culture in our work. Guest posts by Roberto Bedoya (Considering Whiteness, copied below, and The White Racial Frame) are important and have been widely read. My own response to his challenge … [Read more...]
Fifth Anniversary Highlights: Art for Art’s Sake?
During the month of August, Engaging Matters is republishing some of the most widely read articles from the five years this blog has been in existence. Several times I have suggested it’s necessary to understand that some of our internal, somewhat coded language is off-putting to the world beyond our inner circles. “Arts for arts sake” is one example. Art for Art’s Sake? There’s No Such Thing (from early in 2012 and copied below) attempts to … [Read more...]
Five Years On
July 30 marked the fifth anniversary of Engaging Matters. On the one hand, it seems like yesterday that this journey began; on the other, it feels like it’s been going on forever. I can barely remember what it was like not to think about the blog potential of virtually every single thing I do. (Some of you may remember posts about minor league baseball games I attended!) I began posting twice a week, but after a couple of years exhaustion led me … [Read more...]
Community Engagement Training?–Request for Assistance
For the last four years my professional life has been focused almost exclusively on community engagement advocacy, workshops, and training. Most of the work has been advocacy and workshops, along with some one-on-one work with arts organizations. State and local arts agencies–due to their broad accountability to communities and to public officials–most consistently see the need to change our mental models for doing business in the arts. … [Read more...]
Responding to Pain
Communities are hurting. African-American. Other communities of color. Their allies. Law enforcement. You don't need to be particularly "tuned in" to know this. What is your arts organization doing in response? The answer to this question is a powerful indicator (forgive me: "metric") of the depth and quality of institutional commitment to and capacity for engagement. "Nothing" may indicate an assumption (even an unconscious one) that arts … [Read more...]
What Can Be Left Out
Last time I commented on an experience I'd had at the Charlotte Jazz Festival. (What You Can Leave Out) I observed a pianist doubling on harmonica who on one occasion had considerable difficulty getting the harmonica out of his hand so he could get both hands on the piano part. While extricating himself from the harmonica he did what all good jazz pianists do, played the essential notes with his other hand until both were available. This is not … [Read more...]