{"id":3638,"date":"2014-05-22T11:11:49","date_gmt":"2014-05-22T15:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/?p=3638"},"modified":"2014-06-18T06:51:05","modified_gmt":"2014-06-18T10:51:05","slug":"getting-to-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2014\/05\/getting-to-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting to &#8220;Us&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/TomatoesJalapeno-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"TomatoesJalapeno\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/TomatoesJalapeno-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/TomatoesJalapeno.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>I have commented before on the habit of mind in the arts world that separates &#8220;us&#8221; and &#8220;them,&#8221; especially with respect to our communities. Most directly, in <a title=\"Want-Need: \u201cThem\u201d?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/12\/want-need-them\/\" target=\"_blank\">Want-Need: &#8220;Them&#8221;?<\/a> I suggested that:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em><strong>[W]e need to see our constituencies<\/strong> (and potential constituencies) <strong>not as &#8220;them.&#8221;<\/strong> <strong>We need to understand that, together, we are all &#8220;us&#8221; in the application of the arts to make all our lives better.<\/strong> This requires<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>humility (<a title=\"Humilit\u00e9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2012\/10\/humilite\/\" target=\"_blank\">Humilit\u00e9<\/a>, <a title=\"Discovering Humility\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/11\/discovering-humility\/\" target=\"_blank\">Discovering Humility<\/a>)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>an awareness that the arts are not an end but a means (<a title=\"The Metamission of Arts Institutions\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/09\/the-metamission-of-arts-institutions\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Metamission of Arts Institutions<\/a>, for one), and, above all,<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>a self-understanding as partners in service of the common good. (<a title=\"Curators of the Cultural Commons\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/10\/curators-of-the-cultural-commons\/\" target=\"_blank\">Curators of the Cultural Commons<\/a>)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Unfortunately, for some this is a radical re-imagining, but it seems to me to be the only path to long-term viability for the industry.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The sense of separation appears to be rooted in an over-focus on the specialness of the arts. Certainly the arts are special and we have high-level expertise in creating, producing, and presenting them. However, when we hold to that specialness as something that sets us apart from our communities\u2013even if it is not a conscious thought\u2013it reduces our value to those communities. Artcentricity is a barrier to <em>being<\/em> valuable to our communities.<\/p>\n<p>High level expertise is to be commended and admired, but the virtuoso plumber is not likely to think of himself or herself as anything other than a valuable contributor to appropriate (and free-running) pathways for water in the community. I would imagine their sense of specialness provides a valuable sense of self-worth, but it does not get in the way of them fixing a school teacher&#8217;s stopped-up sink.<\/p>\n<p>The concept of the <em>prima donna<\/em> has its origins in the arts, a fact that should give us pause. The words, of course, simply refer to the lead female singer in an opera. Over time, however,\u00a0 it has become so connected to a sense of artistic entitlement that the public understanding of the term is negative. One avoids the <em>prima donna<\/em> in any field.<\/p>\n<p>For community engagement, this represents a double\u2013or even triple\u2013whammy. community members have been socialized to avoid (or at least be skeptical about) &#8220;artistic temperaments.&#8221; At the same time artcentricity can cause us to downplay the importance of supporting the community <em>and<\/em> for some of us the negative vibes we feel from the public about &#8220;the arts&#8221; or artists push us further from the broad community as a kind of defense mechanism.<\/p>\n<p>The only solution is on our side of the equation. There&#8217;s no perceived self-interest outside of the world of the arts to change. To become a deeply appreciated resource, we first need to see ourselves as one part of the &#8220;us&#8221; that is our community and work to act upon that understanding. The greater good cannot be fully realized without the arts, but the arts need to be intentional about and active in furthering it.<\/p>\n<p>Engage!<\/p>\n<p>Doug<\/p>\n<dl>\n<dt>Photo: <span class=\"ccIcn ccIcnSmall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.0\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Attribution\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/pw\/images\/cc_icon_attribution_small.gif\" alt=\"Attribution\" border=\"0\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Noncommercial\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/pw\/images\/cc_icon_noncomm_small.gif\" alt=\"Noncommercial\" border=\"0\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Share Alike\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/pw\/images\/cc_icon_sharealike_small.gif\" alt=\"Share Alike\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span> <a title=\"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">Some rights reserved<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/jeffsmallwood\/\" target=\"_blank\">jeffsmallwood<\/a><\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Special? Yes. Separate? Not if we know what&#8217;s good for us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3640,"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":"Getting to \"Us\"\u2013Special? Yes. Separate? Not if we know what's good for us:  http:\/\/wp.me\/p1G6h9-WG","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":[4],"tags":[53,12,13,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-3638","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-overview","8":"tag-artcentricity","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-community-engagement","11":"tag-relationships","12":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/TomatoesJalapeno.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1G6h9-WG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6686,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2023\/02\/deadly-sin-ii\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":0},"title":"Deadly Sin: II","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"February 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Arrogance (even if unconscious) is the core of the inability to form constructive relationships with individuals and communities beyond our current constituencies.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Practice of Engagement&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Practice of Engagement","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/the-practice-of-engagement\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Sin.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3319,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/12\/want-need-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":1},"title":"Want-Need: &#8220;Them&#8221;?","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"December 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Two of my favorite bloggers, Nina Simon and Diane Ragsdale, have recently weighed in on the want vs. need argument. Since this is a topic I have addressed a couple of times before, I wanted to expand upon the discussion a bit from my perspective. It is reasonable to assume\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Them(Ant)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/ThemAnt-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4047,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2015\/04\/cant-buy-me-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":2},"title":"Can&#8217;t Buy Me Love","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"April 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"If becoming important to new segments of the community is the main path to long-term health, those who provide access to new constituencies are *more* important than those who \"merely\" give money.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The_Beatles_(with_Jimmy_Nicol)_1964_001","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/The_Beatles_with_Jimmy_Nicol_1964_001-e1427127241863.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3182,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2013\/11\/discovering-humility\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":3},"title":"Discovering Humility","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"November 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Expertise and passion are essential for the creation and presentation of art. At the same time, expertise and passion can be roadblocks to reaching communities. They separate us from those without them and make communicating difficult. It is a challenge for the passionate expert to understand those who do not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BuriedTreasure","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/BuriedTreasure.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3498,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2014\/03\/eureka\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":4},"title":"Eureka","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"March 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Most of the not-for-profit world exists to improve communities. Much of the arts industry exists to do what it wants to do\u2013this cannot foster new relationships extending the reach of the organization.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"LightBulb","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/LightBulb-e1394129630406.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6700,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2023\/02\/saving-virtue\/","url_meta":{"origin":3638,"position":5},"title":"Saving Virtue","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"February 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"There is no substitute for the listening and learning that effective engagement requires and there is no substitute for effective engagement if we are to make our organizations viable for the long term.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/humility.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638","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=3638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}