Happy holidays from the Arts & Democracy Project! It's been an
honor to work with you in a year that's seen so much momentum for arts and civic engagement.
As we wrap up a busy year, we'd like to share some highlights from
2009 and a preview of some exciting plans for 2010.
|
|
Carrying Forward the Momentum
2009 launched with energy after an election season
where art and creative activism moved many toward civic participation.
As the media, governments, funders and community
partners increasingly recognize the power of the arts in public engagement, we've been thrilled to support the momentum.
The Arts and Democracy Project has engaged in a number of
field-building activities to convene and cross-pollinate
with arts groups, organizers, and policymakers during this critical moment.
Networking
the networks
We've helped network a broad spectrum of regional and national umbrella
organizations in arts, media, social change, and civic participation. During the government transition, we convened conference calls to share information and
agendas. This fall, we convened a
gathering around the Grantmakers in the Arts conference, designed to foster
strategic connections among networks in the performing arts, visual arts, media arts, cultural
policy, media justice, grassroots organizing, and civic participation.
Convening
grassroots arts activists
Soon
after the election, Arts & Democracy joined with the Nathan Cummings
Foundation to organize a convening of the Foundation's grassroots arts activist
grantees and their allies. The convening nurtured a shared
vision for the arts and social justice field. It provided a space for strategy, skill-sharing, and relationship-building to increase
the effectiveness of the work.
This
spring, Arts & Democracy was one of the organizers of a White House
briefing on art, community, social justice and national recovery. More than 60 artists and creative
organizers came together for the briefing; a report from the meeting is linked in this newsletter's Resources block.
Fostering
deep connections
One of the cornerstones
of the Arts & Democracy Project is our Learning Community, which brings
together innovators in the field of art and activism to engage in sustained
dialogue and reflection. Through bi-monthly conference calls, on-line
communication and face-to-face gatherings, the Learning Community has fostered
partnerships between its members; supported critical thinking
about arts, culture, and organizing; and enabled the sharing of skills, tools,
and resources.
|
Onward to 2010
We're looking forward to continued collaboration with all our
partners in the year ahead. Some
of what we've got planned: - New
installments of dialogues and essays in our Bridge Conversations series, which
seeks to learn from people who live at the intersections of disciplines, sectors, cultures and
generations. Past dialogues have
discussed topics like cultural context, crossing borders, "edge-walking," and
the power of "the space between."
- A new interactive
web resource developed in collaboration with the Pratt Center for Community
Development that maps media representations of exemplary creative work that has direct ties to policy and/or social change campaigns.
- An updated
Arts & Democracy web site to better highlight
compelling work in the field and provide resources, tools, and timely
content.
-
An expansion of our Learning Community, which brings together innovators in art and
activism to engage in dialogue and reflection that strengthen
collaboration in the field.
-
Further
integration of our work into state strategies and national movement building,
and strengthening of key partnerships.
|
|
|
As always, we're proud to highlight the great work in this field to
support and cross-pollinate an extraordinary network of artists, cultural
workers, policymakers, educators, and activists. Wishing you all the best in the holiday season, and looking
forward to continued connection and collaboration in the year ahead.
|
|
All our best,
Amalia, Anasa, Caron, Kathie, Jason, Javiera, Lena, and Yolanda
The Arts & Democracy Team
P.S. Our work wouldn't be possible without the
support of our funders and partners.
Many thanks especially to the Nathan Cummings Foundation and State
Voices for their support.
|
|
|
|
|
Who We Are
The Arts & Democracy Project builds the momentum of a cultural
movement that draws on a rich history of arts activism, social justice
organizing, and grassroots engagement. The program catalyzes and supports cross-pollination between
sectors, cultures, and generations and the linking of practitioners,
policymakers, educators, and activists.
Arts & Democracy is a sponsored project of State Voices.
Our Expanded Staff
Staffed by a number of talented consultants who bring diverse
perspectives, skills, and networks (on a small budget!), the Project is thrilled
to have recruited top-notch consultants Amalia Deloney, Yolanda Hippensteele,
and Anasa Troutman into our fold. Our new colleagues join Caron Atlas, Javiera
Benavente, Jason Bullock, Kathie deNobriga, and Lena Richardson to round out our team.
|
|
In Case You Missed It:
Great Resources
A report from the May 2009 briefing on art, community, social justice and national recovery.
Report from the retreat hosted by Opportunity Agenda September 2009 in Telluride.
|
|
