One of the more pernicious ideas used to denigrate community engagement is the claim that it's "just charity work." This implies that any community not already participating in the arts has no resources to bring to the table. That's preposterous. Every community has cultural resources and many, if not most, have financial resources that can be applied toward things it feels are truly important. Significant self-funded philanthropic work is being … [Read more...]
No Mystery!
When dealing with new communities, staff and board members of nonprofit arts organizations are sometimes puzzled when things they thought would work crash and burn. Often, there is really no mystery. We offered free tickets but no one came!We performed at the community center but no one came!We invited people to our offices to discuss how we can work together, but no one came!We sponsored a town hall meeting to present our new ideas but no one … [Read more...]
DEI Statements
Recently (Doomed to Fail), I wrote about the essential increase in conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. I discussed the important role that commitment to community engagement can play in providing a foundation for an arts organization's work. More importantly, a succinct statement and commitment to equity and inclusion is essential for at least two reasons. Internally, it provides a common understanding for all stakeholders … [Read more...]
Doomed to Fail
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are–rightly and way too belatedly–important topics in the nonprofit arts world right now. I heartily applaud the focus. However . . . I worry about the way the topics are being approached. If an arts organization attempts to incorporate DEI awareness and efforts without a deep, mission-level commitment to being of the community; to forming mutually beneficial, lasting relationships with new communities; to … [Read more...]
From the Q & A
In March I participated in the Intersections Summit hosted by Milwaukee Repertory Theater. It was a gathering of community engagement practitioners from theaters (mostly) across the U.S. Prompted by the event, I have previously commented on the meanings of the word engagement (The Problem of “Engagement”) and concern for justice and equity in engagement work (Justice and Engagement). This time, a couple of comments from a question and answer … [Read more...]
Post-Racial? Puhleeze!
I recently attended a production of Our Town presented by Triad Stage, a professional theater company based in Greensboro, NC. It had been decades since I had seen the play but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for it. I thought it was very well done, but this is not a review. What this is is an observation that resulted from the casting. Triad Stage has for years made an effort to diversify its casting and their Our Town was no exception. … [Read more...]
Frames
Last September I presented two workshops on community engagement for ArtsFund Seattle. One was for board members, the other for staff of arts organizations. It was only recently that I was provided feedback from the evaluations. The board workshop was very well received. The responses about the workshop for staff were, as we used to say in academia, bimodal. The number of extremely enthusiastic and highly negative comments was similar. In … [Read more...]
Systemically Privileged
People concerned about issues related to the arts and equity (funding is just one area) have used many terms to describe the juggernaut that is the world of symphonies, ballet companies, museums, and theaters. Most of the terminology used is either offensive or absurdly complex (and/or unwieldy). “Mainstream” illustrates the former. It implies this Eurocentric world to be the standard, the “normal.” It places it at the center, marginalizing those … [Read more...]
First You Talk
Typically, when I see a headline like this: Opera Memphis Kicks Off Effort to Diversify Audience, I cringe. Not because I don't believe in diversifying our audiences. I clearly do. However, too often it is done badly and for pretty poor reasons. (See The Self-Centered Pursuit of Diversity) I can't speak to the company's motivations or even to much extent about their practices in attempting this. However–stop the presses–if you read the article … [Read more...]
Social Silos
"I don't know anyone who . . . ." Recently, a colleague presented a workshop on nonprofit financial management to a group of board members of and volunteers for very small grassroots social service organizations. In the course of one of their discussions a participant observed, "I don't know anyone who is not working two jobs." My colleague's first reaction was that this was highly atypical. The nonprofit board members many of us are used … [Read more...]