{"id":2451,"date":"2013-01-26T07:44:19","date_gmt":"2013-01-26T12:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/?p=2451"},"modified":"2013-01-26T11:24:00","modified_gmt":"2013-01-26T16:24:00","slug":"outreach-and-audience-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/01\/outreach-and-audience-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Outreach and Audience Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2457\" alt=\"StreetTheatre\" src=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/StreetTheatre-300x225.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/StreetTheatre-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/StreetTheatre-150x112.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/StreetTheatre.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/>I&#8217;ll admit it. I have a bad attitude about the word &#8220;outreach&#8221; in the context of the arts. Whether that attitude is rooted in the way the word has been used or in some quality inherent in it is not clear to me. I have difficulty with what often seem to be paternalistic activities undertaken in its name. If you think about the meaning of the word, at least it appears this way to me, outreach puts the reacher at the center and the other outside, with that reacher attempting to get the other to come to them rather than meeting them somewhere in between. I know I am not alone in discomfort with the word because some organizations have banished it (officially or unofficially) from their vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p>But that may be an etymological nit. Outreach <em>is<\/em> the principal activity of audience engagement. While audience engagement is a different thing from community engagement, it is a valuable and important focus for arts organizations. So, in my ongoing quest to clarify and differentiate among types of engagement\u2013and thereby enhance the usefulness and value of the word\u2013I&#8217;ve got a bit more to add to what I have said recently about audience engagement. (<a title=\"New Thought on Audience and Community Engagement\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/01\/new-thought\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">New Thought on Audience and Community Engagement<\/span><\/a> and <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a title=\"An Engagement Continuum\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/01\/an-engagement-continuum\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">An Engagement Continuum<\/span><\/a><\/span>, for example.)<\/p>\n<p>Another benefit of the writing and speaking I am doing these days is the opportunity to refine (and discover) things about the topics in which I am so immersed. In preparation for my trip to Toronto, I did some work on describing categories of audience engagement. Remembering that all engagement is about relationship formation and development, here&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve got so far:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Artists Meet Audiences\u2013These are the opportunities, before or after arts events, in which the public is able to interact with artists. Often these involve a brief presentation and a Q&amp;A session. While sometimes derided as artist &#8220;petting zoos,&#8221; they can have the very real (and important) effect of humanizing the artist and artistic process. (But let&#8217;s not kid ourselves that all artists are equally adept at making that happen.)<\/li>\n<li>New Population Centers\u2013Taking art to places where there is not the opportunity to experience the genre. Originally, this involved going to smaller cities, towns, and rural areas. Today, while that is still true, this may also mean taking art to populations traditionally under-served by a particular art form.<\/li>\n<li>New Venues\u2013The Random Act of Culture events, with art popping up in airports and shopping malls, are one example. Others are string quartets in bars, theatre in the streets, and dancing at construction sites. Seeing arts experiences outside of their normal frame and, more to the point, in ones where the observer feels more comfortable can make the establishment of a relationship more possible. As with New Population Centers, this is about taking art to where the people are.<\/li>\n<li>Relatable Cultural Idioms (Familiar\/popular forms and styles)\u2013In an effort to be meaningful to more people, arts organizations undertake work outside their principal cultural idiom that has greater resonance with people they hope to reach. This recognizes that the works on which focus has traditionally been placed often is not meaningful to those unfamiliar with the &#8220;language&#8221; of the art. The difficulty is ensuring that the chosen forms and styles are presented with understanding and integrity. The presenter <em>must<\/em> believe in what they are doing to make this a successful approach. (They also must have appropriate skills!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As has been true with several recent posts, these thoughts are still unfinished. I also need to repeat (for myself, even if readers are tired of it) that audience engagement and community engagement are not the same thing. Understanding the differences can help us implement both more effectively.<\/p>\n<p>Engage!<\/p>\n<p>Doug<\/p>\n<p>Street Theatre Photo: <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Attribution\" alt=\"Attribution\" src=\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_attribution_small.gif\" border=\"0\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Noncommercial\" alt=\"Noncommercial\" src=\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_noncomm_small.gif\" border=\"0\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"No Derivative Works\" alt=\"No Derivative Works\" src=\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_noderivs_small.gif\" border=\"0\" \/> <a title=\"Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Some rights reserved<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/pinelife\/\" target=\"_blank\">pinelife<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ll admit it. I have a bad attitude about the word &#8220;outreach&#8221; in the context of the arts. Whether that attitude is rooted in the way the word has been used or in some quality inherent in it is not clear to me. I have difficulty with what often seem to be paternalistic activities undertaken [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[12,13],"class_list":{"0":"post-2451","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-principles","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-community-engagement","10":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/StreetTheatre.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1G6h9-Dx","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6442,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2021\/09\/terminology-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":0},"title":"Differentiation","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"September 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Differentiating between seemingly related terms is important to understanding them. This post looks at outreach and education in relationship to community engagement.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;10th Anniversary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"10th Anniversary","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/10th-anniversary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/10.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2724,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/03\/outreach-%e2%89%a0-community-engagement\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":1},"title":"Outreach \u2260 Community Engagement","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"March 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I \u00a0sometimes hear people equate outreach with community engagement. In my ongoing effort to clarify the language we use about these matters, I'd like to differentiate between these two terms. For me, the simplest distinction is that outreach is (at best) done \"for,\" community engagement is done \"with.\" \u00a0Outreach, as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NotEqual","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/NotEqual.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3875,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2014\/10\/outreach\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":2},"title":"Outreach","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"October 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Outreach\" implies we are at the center and must do \"for\" others rather than \"with.\" That's not a great way to build relationships.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"090806-N-6220J-004","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SoupKitchen-e1404330931502.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2818,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/05\/engagement-vocabulary\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":3},"title":"Engagement Vocabulary","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"May 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"[Note to new readers: This is a very old and widely read post. In the interest of providing up-to-date information about thinking on this topic, you can find updated definitions of terminology related to community engagement and related arts management tools on the ArtsEngaged website here.] I have on a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dictionary","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Dictionary-300x153.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3881,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2014\/10\/self-made-barriers\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":4},"title":"Self-Made Barriers","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"October 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Unconscious habits of thoughts can get in the way of relationship building.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BerlinWall","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/BerlinWall.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4476,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2016\/03\/diversity-and-genuine-engagement\/","url_meta":{"origin":2451,"position":5},"title":"Diversity and Genuine Engagement","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"March 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Diversity is not achieved via \"programs.\" It's the result of genuine community engagement\u2013organic, on-going, permanent relationships.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Diversity","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Diversity.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2451\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}