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Topic: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Replies: 124 Pages: 9 Last Post: Jan 31, 2006 6:30 PM by: Jimmy longoria

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Replies: 124 Pages: 9 [ Previous \| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 \| Next ]

Nato Thompson

Posts: 19
From: North Adams, MA
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:11 PM

Oh, ok. I'm still here Collin.

Colin Rusch

Posts: 1,435
Registered: Oct 16, 2002

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:12 PM

Thanks Reggie. We are planning to keep the discussion going until 8:30 Central Time.

Colin

Nato Thompson

Posts: 19
From: North Adams, MA
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

Re: I take radical pedagogy as a founding idea..
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:14 PM

I like the Sloan story as well. I enjoy the idea of fluctuating spaces that respond to community concern's. Almost as though the name of a particular institution could change every three years.

In many regards, it also reminds of how it really helps to have an infrastructure of spaces helping each other out, and to be legitimating each other's dialogue. In the realm of what we are talking about, the more other organizations lend credence to a form of analysis and operating, the better.

Barbara Schaffer Bacon

Posts: 17
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

Re: I take radical pedagogy as a founding idea..
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:14 PM

PS
I like the Sloan story because it suggests that established institutions can change. They can be guided by a mission that includes "citizenship." It is not a solitary example. Check out Ballet Austin's recent commission "Light: the Humanities Project to learn how a ballet company can step up to the plate, art first and engage citizens. Also the recent commission of Margaret Garner opera and the collaborations to create civic dialogue opportunities in Detroit and Cincinnati.

Barbara

Reggie Prim

Posts: 17
Registered: Dec 3, 2002

Re: Start with the art...
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:20 PM

I think one of the dangers for arts organizations like the Walker, when dealing with "civic engagement initiatives" and the like...is the possibility of trying to become something we are not...social service organizations, a "community-based" arts organization like Intermedia, or a "community center" It bears some repeating even to ourselves that we are a "cannon-making" or cannon suggesting and commissioning institution. That perhaps can be coupled with a mission to involve people more actively in the life of the community but there is a danger of morphing uncounsciously and forgetting our reason for being...living artists making art (and collecting what they make).

When we were trying to figure out what civic engagment might look like at the Walker it was very important for us to "Start with the art"...meaning, move from our core purpose and reason for being into "civic engagement"

Colin Rusch

Posts: 1,435
Registered: Oct 16, 2002

Re: I take radical pedagogy as a founding idea..
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:20 PM

Hi Everyone,

We've got less than ten minutes in the discussion. Are there other questions that you'd like the group to address before we sign off? It is best if we put them out now so everyone has a chance to respond.

Colin

Nato Thompson

Posts: 19
From: North Adams, MA
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

A recent midwest tale of radical engagement
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:20 PM

Y'all might get a kick out of a recent action taken in Chicago. This actually was done on a guerrilla level, but well... it really raised some red flags with the powers that be in Chicago.

http://www.chicagohousingauthority.net

Barbara Schaffer Bacon

Posts: 17
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:21 PM

Sarah: I think that is why so much art and artistic process that promotes engagement begins with story -- personal story. We naturally move from the personal to the civic. i often suggest that the Aids Quilt is one of the great art-based civic engagement examples. It truly demonstrates the power of connecting the personal to the civic.

Colin Rusch

Posts: 1,435
Registered: Oct 16, 2002

Re: A recent midwest tale of radical engagement
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:24 PM

Nato,

That project is great. I was so pleased when I heard about it.

Colin

Sarah Peters

Posts: 34
Registered: Dec 3, 2002

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:28 PM

>Sarah: I think that is why so much art and artistic process that promotes engagement begins with story -- personal story.

Yes. I am also interested in how we encourge participants to move from story to dialogue and even action. Any ideas on how to sustain it beyond the life of a program (such as a one-night screening or discussion) or residency?

Sandy Agustin

Posts: 9
From: Intermedia Arts
Registered: Feb 20, 2004

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:28 PM

There is an old SEARS building that is being re-vamped by a major developer here in Minneapolis on behalf of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. The hospital is in the middle of the largest and most diverse neighborhood in the state. The building is going to be part of a series of office spaces with a first floor "world market". They've asked Intermedia Arts to help them get art from local artists - purchase it - for their new space.

I asked them a series of questions in hopes that it would stimulate further thinking. I asked them about who the work was for, where it would be, how it would be cared for, and how often, if ever, it would change. I also talked about the plethora of artists in the community and the process that might be used to decide.....I haven't heard back from them yet. I'm certain their intentions were more in line with putting something [they think] is aesthetically pleasing and somewhat complimentary to the space in. I'm really curious to see - manifested in how this all comes about - how they involve the community that surrounds this space.

We probably get a call a week from some business that wants a mural on the side of their building, like Time Warner who wanted to put a network above our building and we tried to negotiate this for financial support for the organization, etc. It was a "no-go"!

I think some of the greatest potential we have in intersecting with the commercial powers is the leverage we hold with the property that we own that faces the new, very hip condos that are coming up. The longer we wait to develop it, the more the value increases.....a great asset for us and great potential to force the issue with our soon-to-be neighbors.

I'm interested still in how people define the term "excellence" and "integrity"....

Barbara Schaffer Bacon

Posts: 17
Registered: Jun 19, 2005

Re: Start with the art...
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:30 PM

Reggie: When an artist or an arts institutions wants to enter the civic arena, contribute to civic dialogue or promote civic engagement, it has to first ask, what is already happening out there. To just throw out new matter is likely to add to the clutter and noise so prevalent in the media. the Zapatistas, online artist interventionists, talk a great deal about this.

Sandy Agustin

Posts: 9
From: Intermedia Arts
Registered: Feb 20, 2004

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:31 PM

Sandy signing off....

Reggie Prim

Posts: 17
Registered: Dec 3, 2002

Re: Refeudalization and the like...
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:31 PM

Just a couple of closing thoughts and thanks..

I'd like to thanks mnartists for hosting...and Barbara, Nato and Sandy... and everybody "lurking"

I'm interested in Jurgen Habermas' ideas about the public sphere and in particular his notion of refeudalization and how artists and arts institutions can play a role in slowing this process...

from sparknotes.com
"Habermas argues for the return of certain historical traits in modern society. A representative style of publicity is evident in the way modern politicians relate to the public; they do not argue and engage, but merely present themselves and the image of their party before the voters. Not only politicians, but also the other "large-scale organizers" such as non-overnmental pressure groups, bureaucratic structures and lobby groups, practise this kind of manipulation. This deterioration in the quality and nature of publicity is part of a wider process that Habermas calls refeudalization."

How can artists and arts organizations continue to make the assumptions, values and processes behind the performance of policy, position and rhetoric apparent and perhaps even transparent? How can we keep working against refeudalization and like Sarah mentioned help grow the critical capacity of community members? How can we weild the cultural power Perlas mentioned, ethically so that it leads to healthier democratic processes and a more lively and diverse public sphere?

Thanks all for participating tonight.

Reggie

Colin Rusch

Posts: 1,435
Registered: Oct 16, 2002

Re: Civic Engagement Online Discussion - June 29 at 7pm
Posted: Jun 29, 2005 8:32 PM

Hi Everyone,

It's 8:30 Central Time by my watch. Thank you all so much for joining us tonight and contributing to such a fruitful discussion. We will leave this forum open for continued dialogue as long as the community stays engaged with the topic.

Colin

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