the Arts & Democracy team

It's been a year of ups and downs for artists, activists, and communities across the country.  Between national disasters like the BP oil spill and our still-flagging economy, there were bright spots as art and creative activism moved many toward civic participation, through the mid-term elections, census campaigns, and on a host of this year's hot-button issues.

Check out this blog post for a review of people, projects and communities that inspired us in 2010.

As the media, governments, funders and community partners increasingly recognize the power of the arts in public engagement, we've been happy to make connections and support the field. In 2010, The Arts & Democracy Project has continued to engage in a number of activities to promote, convene and cross-pollinate among arts groups, organizers, and policymakers.

Convening & Connecting the Dots 

We've helped network a broad spectrum of local, regional and national organizations in arts, media, social change and civic participation.  Our Learning Community brings together innovators in the field of art and activism to engage in 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.  We have also convened workshops at conferences such as the U.S. Social Forum and National Performance Network, and hosted networking events in Oakland with the Center for Media Justice, and at the Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Chicago with the Art and Social Justice Preconference Planning Committee and Indigenous Resource Network.

Increasing the Visibility of Our Field's Diversity

Through our online communications and participation in a variety of working groups and networks, we work to elevate the profile of a diverse array of culturally-based change projects.  We have brought the stories and perspectives of our partners' cultural organizing projects to funder forums like Grantmakers in the Arts, to international gatherings like freedimensional's Creative Resistance and to national convenings like Creative Change. 

Creating Space for Critical Thinking, Reflection and Dialogue

Through our Bridge Conversations series and other reflection projects, we invite leaders in the arts and social change to explore the deeper learnings of their practice, and to share their reflections with the field.