This Arts Advocacy Day, the stakes are much higher. As we work to make the case for the arts, we wonder, is our data keeping pace? We're using love (or breakup) letters as a creative and fun design research method to get powerful insight into the perceptions of our stakeholders. We invite you to join us in this discovery. Nina Simon is Executive Director of the Museum of Art & History (MAH) in Santa Cruz, CA and the author of The Participatory Museum and The Art of Relevance. Nina designs and researches participatory museum experiences. … [Read more...]
I know you won’t judge me
This Arts Advocacy Day, the stakes are much higher. As we work to make the case for the arts, we wonder, is our data keeping pace? We're using love (or breakup) letters as a creative and fun design research method to get powerful insight into the perceptions of our stakeholders. We invite you to join us in this discovery. Rev. Erik Martinez Resly is an artist, community organizer, and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister living in Washington, DC. Erik is the founder of The Sanctuaries, one of the first interfaith arts communities in the … [Read more...]
You’re the best
This Arts Advocacy Day, the stakes are much higher. As we work to make the case for the arts, we wonder, is our data keeping pace? We're using love (or breakup) letters as a creative and fun design research method to get powerful insight into the perceptions of our stakeholders. We invite you to join us in this discovery. Anne Katz is the Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin, an organization that serves as the voice for the arts throughout the state. Arts Wisconsin believes that everyone, everywhere in Wisconsin should have the opportunity to … [Read more...]
I am still feeling the same glow
This Arts Advocacy Day, the stakes are much higher. As we work to make the case for the arts, we wonder, is our data keeping pace? We're using love (or breakup) letters as a creative and fun design research method to get powerful insight into the perceptions of our stakeholders. We invite you to join us in this discovery. Laura Ritchie is Co-founder of The Carrack, a zero-commission gallery and performance venue in Durham, North Carolina. The Carrack provides professional space at no cost to artists and fosters connections between artists and … [Read more...]
Dear, Bench Diary
This Arts Advocacy Day, the stakes are much higher. As we work to make the case for the arts, we wonder, is our data keeping pace? We're using love (or breakup) letters as a creative and fun design research method to get powerful insight into the perceptions of our stakeholders. We invite you to join us in this discovery. Dessa Lohrey is the Founder of Bench Diary, an experiment-turned global storytelling project. A diary is tied to a bench for one day and invites those who happen upon it to write an anonymous entry. Dessa has collaborators in … [Read more...]
Love, Hate and Design Research
Sigh. We live in interesting times. Increasingly folks are driven further apart, retreating into factions that love one thing/person or hate another. Naturally, we are right and they are wrong. What to do? My wife works for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (At least she did as of the writing of this post.) Despite being great at her job and doing incredible work cleaning up the planet, her job… in fact her entire department… is in danger of being cut. So too the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Day Conversation in Decatur, GA
Today is Arts Advocacy Day, but for working artists it can feel like every day is arts advocacy day as we continually make the case in each of our communities to support the arts. I consider myself fortunate that I inhabit two worlds - local government as a Planning Director and the performing arts as a choreographer. It surprises me that I spend a large amount of time in both worlds simply trying to engage the community to participate. Whether a transportation planning project or a dance concert I’m often jumping up and down saying, “Hey! Stop … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Salt Lake City, UT
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts represents an arts institution that sits within and reports to an institution run by folks outside the field - The University of Utah. A staff member of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts speaks with University President, David Pershing on he views and values the arts. When I say “the arts,” what does that mean to you? The term, “the arts,” symbolizes to me all that is stimulating to the sense in a profound way in the performing arts – from beautiful music (a single voice or a choir, or a single instrument or an … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Day Conversation in Hartford, CT
Kristina Newman-Scott, Director of Marketing, Events and Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford, Connecticut asks her colleagues Brian Matthews, Director of Housing for the City of Hartford and Khara Dodds, Director of Planning for the City of Hartford how they see, value and advocate for the arts. Listen to their conversations below and share what you heard from colleagues outside of the arts. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/90218204" … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Thayer, MO
Founder of the Oregon County Food Producers and Artisans Co-Op, Rachel Reynolds Luster poses the three simple questions to a member of her Thayer, MO community. Elizabeth, 16 years old: When I say “the arts,” what does that mean to you? "music, dancing, acting" Where do you see arts in your community? "I don't." Tell me about a moment you connected with arts personally. “Learning to clog dance at Marilynn's Clogging Studio and play guitar.” Advocate for the Arts! Click on the Twitter logo to … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Lynchburg, VA
I spoke with Anna Bentson, the Assistant Director of the City of Lynchburg's Office of Economic Development, about how she views and values art. What most struck me is that her early childhood contact with art and artists was through her family and in turn that has influenced how she values and views art in her life today. Her relationship to art is personal and I think this gets to the core of a very valuable lesson. Anna's family was filled with musicians. She said, "My grandparents were musicians (actually from a long line of professional … [Read more...]
Keep Talking About What Art Means
When I say, "the arts" what does that mean to you? Where do you see arts in your community? Tell me about a moment you connected with the arts. Last week I challenged you to go out and ask folks in your community these three questions. We've already gotten a handful of responses. I even saw some folks sharing what their responses on social media. My manicurist April told me she has no time 4 art because she's busy creating costumes for an angel themed hair show #thatsart #NASadvocacy — Sunny Widmann (@sunnywidmann) March 21, 2015 (Thanks, … [Read more...]
Ask a Simple Question… or Three
We've been hearing from folks who have tried out the three simple questions. They went outside and talked to people in their communities. Now, I challenge you to do the same. Go out this weekend and ask questions. Use ours or create your own. Share what you learn with us and with others. Tweet it (#NASadvocacy). Facebook it. Post it. Talk about it. But, most importantly listen to it. Again, here are my three simple questions: When I say, “the arts” what does that mean to you? Where do you see arts in your community? Tell me about a … [Read more...]
Stop Talking About Art as an Abstract Concept
Whether we're talking to friends or strangers, how do we talk about the value we create? Mary Lou Aleskie, Executive Director of the International Festival for Arts & Ideas, shares why she believes we should stop talking about "the value of the arts" and start talking about the experience of arts and culture as a gateway to civic engagement and participation. http://youtu.be/b_S6kgrofto Advocate for the Arts! Click on the Twitter logo to share this with someone outside the arts. Start a … [Read more...]
Arguing for the Arts in Contemporary Society
Think about the folks in your community. Think about what they will do tonight. There are countless options for how they can spend their time, their money, their loyalty. Arts may be in that mix. It might not be. This is the context in which our community makes decisions and we need to be aware of that. In this video, Patrick McIntyre, Executive Director of the Sydney Theatre Company conveys the need to discuss the benefits of the experience we provide. Patrick highlights that this task is tricky when arguing the value to allies such as … [Read more...]