c. d&d & the arts
Fund for Southern Communities Accepting Grant Applications for Social Change Work
The Fund for Southern Communities (www.fundforsouth.org) is a public foundation that seeks to foster social change initiated by community-based groups in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The fund provides grants and technical assistance to progressive grassroots social change organizations that work against discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, or physical and mental disabilities; stand for workers' rights; promote self-determination in low-income and disenfranchised areas; protect the environment; promote and create non-traditional arts and media; promote peace; are located in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina; are working for equitable distribution of economic and/or political power; and are unlikely to be funded by more traditional funding sources, including those whose geographic location limits funding opportunities. Applicants receiving funds from more traditional funding sources may be given a lower priority for funding from FSC. Complete program information and application materials are available at the FSC Web site. The deadline for applications is September 1, 2006.
Added by Amy Lang on July 02, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Training in Performance-Based Youth Decision-Making Coming Up in Nevada
ZIPoPo is an interactive performance program that combines scriptwriting, acting, directing and facilitating to teach ethical decision making skills through audience participation. ZIPoPo was developed in Russia, was shown on 22 television stations there and is now in 62 countries around the world. Shamil Fattakhov, the program creator, will be here from Russia to do the training. The program is ideal for teachers, counselors and youth programs. The program could be presented as part of school activities or after school programs. The manual includes the discussion and ethical decision making portions but the scriptwriting, acting and directing portions are only available in the training program. The workshop will be held from 1 pm, Wednesday, August 16 to noon, Sunday, August 20, 2006 in Reno, Nevada. Cost is $100 before August 1st, $150 after August 1st, and includes daily lunch and the training DVD and manual. The program is a joint project of the Neighborhood Mediation Center, Reno, Nevada and the Association for Creative Moral Education, Kazan, Russia. Registration form, program updates, daily schedule, samples of skits and course materials available at www.mediatenmc.org, click (Golden Choices). For more information, contact: Trip Barthel, 775-788-2127, fax - 775-322-5404, or email .
Added by Amy Lang on June 18, 2006??-??Link to this entry
News About Visual Dialogue on World Aids Day
[via Deliberative-Democracy.net] On World AIDS Day (December 1st) 2005, the "visual voice" of more than 1,200 young people affected by, living with or concerned about HIV/AIDS in over a dozen countries was exhibited at sites around the world. Part of the first International Peace Tiles Project World AIDS Day initiative, young people who participated in arts and discussion workshops in advance of World AIDS Day contributed more than 100 wood "tiles" on which they had created intimate collages. These personal works of narrative art, when combined with others from around the world, created powerful messages of hope, prevention, and advocacy. Murals were installed in South Africa, India, and at the Global Fund in Geneva and exhibited on World AIDS Day. For more information about this unique visual dialogue, please visit: www.telecommunity.us/peacetiles/wad
Added by Amy Lang on March 11, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Funding Exchange Invites Proposals for Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media
Named to honor singer, actor, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, the Funding Exchange's (www.fex.org) Paul Robeson Fund for Independent Media supports media activism and grassroots organizing by funding the pre-poduction and distribution of social issue film and video projects, as well as the production and distribution of radio projects made by local, state, national, or international organizations and individual media producers. The fund solicits projects in all genres that address critical social and political issues, combine intellectual clarity with creative use of the medium, and demonstrate understanding of how the production will be used for progressive social justice organizing. The Robeson Fund makes grants to radio projects in all production stages and to film and video projects in the pre-production or distribution stages only. The fund does not support production or post-production costs for film and video projects. The maximum grant award is $20,000, and most grants will range between $5,000 and $15,000. See the Funding Exchange Web site for complete program guidelines and application criteria and instructions. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2006.
Added by Amy Lang on March 04, 2006??-??Link to this entry
San Francisco Foundation Invites Entries for Community Leadership Awards
The San Francisco Foundation (www.sff.org) Community Leadership Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose leadership has made a significant impact in their particular Bay Area communities. This work may confront social or health problems, address environmental concerns, or promote arts and humanities. One of the four awards is designated for an under-recognized, mature artist who has made a significant and ongoing contribution in the Bay Area. Artists from the performing, literary, media, and visual arts, including craft, folk, and traditional forms, will be considered. Individuals receive $10,000 awards, while organizations are awarded $20,000. Individuals and nonprofit organizations in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties are eligible to apply. Individuals from all sectors are eligible for these awards. Nominations for emerging and innovative leadership as well as for longstanding accomplishments are encouraged. For additional information about the program and the nomination process, visit the SFF Web site. The deadline for nominations is March 1, 2006.
Added by Amy Lang on February 01, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Save the Date: Imagining America Conference Coming Up in October
Imagining America is a consortium of 80 colleges and universities committed to public scholarship and public culture-making through the humanities, arts, and design. Imagining America?’s mission is to strengthen the public role and democratic purposes of the cultural disciplines and interdisciplines. It supports publicly-engaged academic work and the structural changes in higher education that such work requires. Imagining America's national network includes collaborators in K-12 schools, nonprofit and public cultural institutions, public media, government agencies, and grassroots organizations. This year's conference theme is "Engaging Through Place." It will be held from October 6-8, 2006 at Ohio State University. For more details and information regarding submission of session proposals, you can go to Imagining America's website: www.ia.umich.edu. If you have further questions, feel free to contact Josephine Tsai at .
Added by Amy Lang on February 01, 2006??-??Link to this entry
New Student Arts and Civic Engagement Opportunities in Boston
Students seeking for-credit opportunities that involve meaningful citizenship, community service and service-learning, should check out the new Institute for Art and Civic Engagement at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Located in SFMA's Artist's Resource Center and founded in partnership with Tufts University College of Citizenship and Public Service, the Institute fosters development of partnerships with art, culture, research, education, healthcare, social service, business and entrepreneurial ventures. There are community-based learning projects in teaching/mentoring young people, arts and medicine, public art, international projects and internships embracing role of art in public life. Opportunities include participation in the award-winning Youth Art-in-Action program and a chance to work at Boston Arts Academy, an innovative school within the Boston Public School system. For more information, visit smfa.edu/Student_Life/Professional_Development/Institute_for_Art_Civic_Engagement.asp
Added by Amy Lang on January 21, 2006??-??Link to this entry
Alexia Foundation for World Peace Invites Applications for Professional and Student Photography Awards
The Alexia Foundation for World Peace (www.alexiafoundation.org) is dedicated to helping professional and student photographers produce photographs that promote world peace and cultural understanding. The foundation is accepting applications for the following programs:
1. Professional Grant: The Alexia Foundation offers the Professional Grant to enable a photographer to have the financial ability to produce a substantial picture story that furthers the foundation's goals of promoting world peace and cultural understanding. The recipient of the grant will receive $15,000 for the production of the proposed project. Any photographer may apply for this grant. Proposals that have received grants or awards exceeding $1,000 in the previous calendar year are not eligible. The award is for an individual photographer. Collaborative applications are not accepted. The deadline is January 16, 2006.
2. Student Competition: The Alexia Foundation provides partial scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students to study photojournalism at Syracuse University in London, England. The award program also provides cash grants to enable student photographers to produce a picture story that furthers the foundation's goals of promoting world peace and cultural understanding. The first-place Student Award provides a $9,000 scholarship and a grant of $1,000; the second-place Student Award provides a $6,000 scholarship and a grant of $500; and three Awards of Special Recognition provide scholarships of $1,600 and grants of $500. Alexia Scholars are responsible for the balance of tuition and fees for the semester in London. All scholarships are contingent upon admission to the Syracuse University DIPA London Program. The Deadline is February 1, 2006.
Visit the Alexia Foundation Web site for complete program guidelines and application procedures.
Added by Amy Lang on December 11, 2005??-??Link to this entry
American Library Association Invites Applications for Jazz Discussion Series
The American Library Association (www.ala.org) Public Programs Office and National Video Resources (www.nvr.org), in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center (www.jalc.org), are accepting grant applications from libraries and other organizations that are interested in hosting "Looking At: Jazz, America's Art Form," a six-part, scholar-led film viewing and discussion series that explores the history of jazz music. Fifty applicants will be selected to participate in the "Looking At: Jazz, America's Art Form" project. In addition to public, academic, and special libraries, any nonprofit institution (including museums, concert halls, and jazz societies) may apply for the grant. Either a library or a nonprofit organization can be the lead applicant, provided they create a partnership that includes both a library and a nonprofit organization or venue. Successful applicants will receive a collection of six documentary films on DVD to use for the series and keep as part of their permanent collections; compelling essays on the film topics written by eminent scholars; an extensive resource guide for additional reading, videos and DVDs,
and Web sites; and program and publicity materials. Grant guidelines require that, after the viewing and discussion series, the documentary film packages become a part of the participating library's circulating collection. In addition, selected organizations will receive training for the program coordinator and scholar at a workshop hosted by National Video Resources and Jazz at Lincoln Center. These organizations also will receive a $1,000 grant to use toward certain expenses, including workshop travel/lodging, program and marketing costs, and scholar honoraria. Libraries and organizations interested in presenting the series can download an application from and guidelines from the ALA Web site. The deadline for applications is February 10, 2006.
Added by Amy Lang on December 09, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Opportunities to Learn about Videoletters
Videoletters is a unique initiative which is having a huge impact on bringing reconciliation to the Balkan states. In a region where war and conflict have driven close friends, neighbours and work colleagues apart into ethnically separate states, the film makers invited individuals and families to record video messages to their former associates. With this simple idea the Videoletters concept has grown into a whole movement - with TV broadcasts, dedicated internet cafes for sending messages and a touring show. In place of suspicion and animosity a new climate of optimism and trust is being built. Learn more about this initiative at a Videoletters Workshop this November 18 in London, England. The workshop will be a practical day where you can find out how the film makers, Eric van den Broek and Katarina Rejger, went about this initiative, and how you can adapt their ideas to your own work. The day will offer a comprehensive programme. Eric and Katarina will use film samples to present how Videoletters operates. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions, both in group Q&As and individually. There will also be ideas-sharing group discussions, supported by Eric and Katarina. And there will be technical advice on how to set this up. The workshop takes place from 10am to 5pm at EnlightenNext, 13 Windsor Street, London, N1. The event is organised by Frontiers of Film, which is the film screening branch of EnlightenNext, an educational charity working for the development of culture and consciousness. The day costs £95 and £60 for students, including lunch. We also have a limited number of assisted places on the workshop which you are welcome to enquire about. For more information, contact Steve Jackson on +44 (0)7970 149385 or by email at . And visit their website at www.videoletters.net/index.php?lang=en.
Added by Amy Lang on November 09, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Search For Common Ground Partnership Recognized at Clinton Global Initiative
Last month in New York City, 40 heads of state and almost 1,000 religious, business and nonprofit leaders came together at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) for three days of in-depth discussions in an effort to address and seek solutions for the world's critical issues: extreme poverty, climate change, problems in governance, and religion as a source of conflict. The talks concluded with the announcement of "commitments" totaling $1.25 billion in pledges for specific initiatives that address these global problems. Clinton singled out the commitment from Nestle to fund Search for Common Ground's TV drama series in Nigeria, and invited Search For Common Ground (SFCG) President John Marks and Klaus Wachsmuth, Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria PLC, to the stage to recognize this model of corporate and NGO partnership for effecting positive social change. SFCG is currently producing two TV series in Nigeria. Their aim is to promote inter-ethnic tolerance and respect, and to encourage non-violent resolution of conflict. The Station is a 26-part drama about the adventures of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious group of Nigerian TV reporters - Yorubas, Hausas, Ibos, and others - working together as a news team to cover Nigeria's most pressing problems, such as AIDS and corruption, through the prism of finding common ground. The series focuses on socially relevant themes through entertaining soap opera drama that will appeal to large audiences. The initial production is a 20-part reality series called The Academy, which is intended to build an audience for The Station. The Academy is centered on a nationwide talent search leading to the final selection of the cast for The Station. Over 50,000 applicants answered the open casting call. Both series will be aired on Nigerian national TV, with the direct support of President Obasanjo. To read more about SFCG and the Clinton Global Initiative, visit www.sfcg.org.
Added by Amy Lang on October 27, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Urban Bush Women Seeks Emerging Coreographer
Urban Bush Women (www.urbanbushwomen.org) is a dance troupe that seeks to extend dialogue to its audiences. They are currently holding a competition to sponsor an emerging female coreographer to develop new coreography with them. The deadline for submission is October 10, 2005. They are looking particularly for emerging and developing voices with at least a three-year history of professional work. The finished dance, not to exceed 20 minutes in length, is scheduled to be premiered during the 2006-2007 season. Interested applicants may submit two 5-minute excerpts and one piece of any length in its entirety on a single dvd or vhs tape. Media must be clearly marked with your name, title of piece, date of creation and performance information (e.g., filmed at DTW, May 21, 2005). Submission must include an aesthetic vision statement no more than 2 pages in length that addresses the following: How do you describe your work? How do you describe your process? What ideas/concepts/movements would you like to explore and develop in this new work? Please also submit a c.v. and head shot (optional). Commission award is $2,500. Urban Bush Women assumes all rehearsal and production costs for creation of work and formal presentation of the dance. Selected choreographer must be available for introductory rehearsals, February 13-17, 2006, and 3-week creation period in spring/summer 2006.
Added by Amy Lang on October 06, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Power of Hope Seeks Executive Director
Power of Hope is a non-profit, non-religious organization that unleashes the positive potential of youth through arts-centered multicultural and intergenerational learning programs that value self-awareness, leadership, community and social change offering programs in Washington and British Columbia. Power of Hope?’s Executive Director is a hands on, multi-tasking leader with strong operations, management, administration and development skills. The Executive Director works in close collaboration with the organization?’s Creative Director and reports to the board of directors. The Executive Director has responsibility for management of the organization, including staff recruitment and supervision, internal systems development, program planning and implementation, budgeting, fundraising, and financial management. This position is in Bellingham, WA. For complete outline of Qualifications, Compensation and Responsibilities or to apply before October 12 via email or mail to: Power of Hope, 1337 Lincoln Street, #2, Bellingham, WA 98229 360-671-7390 or or visit their website at www.powerofhope.org
Added by Amy Lang on October 06, 2005??-??Link to this entry
News From Search For Common Ground
Search for Common Ground (www.sfcg.org) has just sent out its latest news bulletin and has some updates on several important projects. They report first on successfully broadcasting a documentary series about Palestinian and Israeli aspirations for conflict resolution on both Arab and Israeli TV networks. Check out the series and other media productions at their tri-lingual website: www.theshapeofthefuture.tv . Meanwhile, in Nigeria, SFCG is involved in producing a "reality" TV show about conflict resolution that will star ordinary Nigerians. In West Africa, Burundi and Angola, SFCG has organized ex-combatants to write comic books about their experiences and met with other humanitarian agencies to push for policy to prevent the use of child soldiers. This summer, SFCG also held film festivals in Washington, DC, airing documentaries like Kontum Diary about a Vietnam War Veteran from the US who travels to Vietnam to reconcile with his former enemy. To read more about any of these stories, visit SFCG's online newsletter archive: www.sfcg.org/resources/publications_newsletter.
Added by Amy Lang on September 20, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Music Events Create Dialogue on Arab-Israeli Peace
In a recent email, Libby and Len Traubman told us about the many Middle East peace initiatives focused around sharing music. In New Hampshire, Playing for Peace (applehill.org/p4p/) pioneered the process of promoting peace through playing music together. Chigago Symphony Music Director Daniel Barenboim has also been active in bringing classical music to the struggle for Jewish-Arab peace: read news stories about his work at traubman.igc.org/piano.htm and traubman.igc.org/messages/291.htm. His latest event brought Jewish and Arab youth together to play in an unprecedented concert in Ramallah on Monday Aug. 22, 2005. Read about this exciting collaboration in The Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1553956,00.html and in Ha'aretz: www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=207422&contrassID=2&subContrassID=11&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y.
Added by Amy Lang on August 24, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Imagining America Conference Coming Up in September
Registration is now open for the upcoming Imagining America Annual Conference to be held this Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Based at the University of Michigan, Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life is a national consortium of colleges and universities committed to fostering campus community partnerships in the arts and humanities. The theme of this year's conference is "Public Engagement and Intercultural Practice: New Democratic Spaces for Scholars and Artists." Register now at www.ia.umich.edu, where you may see a full conference schedule, hotel, and travel information.
Added by Amy Lang on August 18, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Community Foundation Creates Website for Civic Engagement Grant Applications
The Community Foundation Silicon Valley (www.cfsv.org) has just revised its community grants program to include grants for Civic Engagement proposals, and all the information is now available online. CFSV will now provide general operating support to Silicon Valley grantees through its renamed Community Investment Grants program. The program will provide one-year general support grant awards of up to $20,000 to nonprofits working in the area of Neighbourhood and Civic Engagement. Other granting areas are: Arts and Cultural Participation; Education and Lifelong Learning; and Self-Reliant Individuals and Families. Visit the CFSV Web site and click on "Grants & Nonprofit Resources" for complete program guidelines, criteria, and application procedures, as well as information on other CFSV funding programs.
Added by Amy Lang on July 11, 2005??-??Link to this entry
6th Annual Imagining America Conference to be held in the Fall
Imagine America, a national movement linking universities with the communities they serve through arts and humanities projects, will be holding its 6th annual conference on September 30 and October 1, 2005, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This year's conference theme is "Public Engagement and Intercultural Practice: New Democratic Spaces for Scholars and Artists." Click below for the full announcement or go to www.ia.umich.edu to find out more.
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Added by Sandy on April 01, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Invitation to Host Forums on "The News We Need"
Preview Forum is in the process of recruiting partners for their Spring 2005 initiative entitled ?“THE NEWS WE NEED: Finding Balance in an Age of Spin.?” Preview Forum invites organizations of all sizes to become local partners and host forums in their communities. Roundtable will provide FREE RESOURCES (including videos, planning guides, and publicity materials) to the first 100 organizations that sign on as partners. For more information, contact Julia John by March 31, 2005 at or 781-893-3336 x24.
Preview Forum is a national media and dialogue initiative that brings together news professionals and the public in local forums to discuss social issues relevant to the community. This Spring, Preview Forum will focus on how the birth of 24-hour news stations, internet bloggers and changes in FCC regulations have launched us into a new era of news producing and consuming. What is the role of news in a democracy? Have we abandoned the goal of objectivity? How do community members get the news they need in an increasingly partisan landscape?
Added by Sandy on February 28, 2005??-??Link to this entry
Leah Lamb's "Engage" Program Featured in Richmond Times
NCDD member Leah Lamb's innovative theatre/dialogue program was featured on Monday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. An article by Michael Paul Williams called "Theater as an Agent of Change" outlined Leah's hopes to inspire civic engagement and community building among youth through her "Engage" program - a blend of theatrical performances and documentary footage conveying the civic and political experiences of Richmond residents. Engage will open September 16 through 18 at Virginia Commonwealth University. Click below for the full article.
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Added by Sandy on August 25, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Appalshop Invites You to Attend Two Arts-Based Civic Dialogue Events in Kentucky
Appalshop is holding two exciting events in Kentucky this fall. First, The Robert F. Kennedy Performance Project, which will take place Sept 8-11, explores the effects of the ?“war on poverty?” in one of the country?’s most distinctive yet marginalized regions. Second, an Art & Democracy National Gathering of artists and activists will take place September 11 and 12....
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Added by Sandy on August 22, 2004??-??Link to this entry
New CPRN Papers Show that Arts and Culture are the Keys to Creative Cities
Our friends at CPRN (Canadian Policy Research Networks) just released four new papers that underline the key role of the arts and culture in the creation of "creative cities," especially in today?’s knowledge economy. According to CPRN, "Creative cities are vital to meeting our community and national economic and social goals. By happy coincidence, the conditions that foster creative cities also foster economic innovation, social inclusion, democratic engagement and environmental sustainability."...
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Added by Sandy on August 13, 2004??-??Link to this entry
PeaceWeb to Hold Summer Workshop Series in Tucson
PeaceWeb's summer workshop series, "Building Peace From the Inside Out," will take place this July and August in Tucson, Arizona. The registration fee for each of the five workshops is $99. PeaceWeb has a 22-year history as The National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution (NCPCR), which produced 11 international gatherings of adult and youth peacemakers.
PeaceWeb's southwest region is sponsoring this summer workshop series, which includes workshops with these compelling titles: Acting for a Change; Being Your Centerpiece: Creating Peace By Honoring Yourself First And Foremost; Visioning: Utilizing Tribal Practices For Dispute Resolution; Untangling The Knot: Overcoming Obstacles To Agreement; and Exploring the Enneagram: Seeing Into the Heart of Conflict. Click below for more details.
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Added by Sandy on June 25, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Asian Museum in Seattle Fosters Dialogue About Race
An art exhibit at the Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle, Washington, inspired a June 4 article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer called "Wing Luke exhibit fosters dialogue about racial differences." Author Regina Hackett writes: "'Beyond Talk: Redrawing Race' at the Wing Luke Museum features 12 different approaches to race. In spite of the title, it's successful because of the talk it generates. This exhibit manages a feat rare in the museum world: It encourages dialogue without patronizing the audience." Click below to read the full article.
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Added by Sandy on June 04, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Motivate Citizen Participation: New essay by Grace Lee Boggs Available Online
In October 2003, Detroit-based activist, cultural worker, and octogenarian Grace Lee Boggs energized and inspired a national gathering of artists, arts organization and community leaders, and activists with her speech at Animating Democracy's National Exchange on Art & Civic Dialogue. Describing a United States that is becoming increasingly jobless; jeopardizing its youth in a problem-wrought education system; and resented for its economic, military, and cultural domination, she implored, "Can we create a new paradigm of our selfhood and our nationhood?" In Boggs' subsequent essay, she expands on ideas seeded at that gathering. Boggs' message is timely and inspiring as communities seek to motivate citizen participation in upcoming elections and other critical civic concerns.
Added by Sandy on June 01, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Theatre for Dialogue Workshop Offered in Lafayette, Indiana this June
Katherine Burke of InterPlay emailed me today about a June 5, 2004 "Theatre for Dialogue" Workshop that will be offered in Lafayette, Indiana at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation. According to Katherine, this fun, engaging, and information-packed workshop will explore the many uses of interactive theatre in classrooms, conference rooms, therapy groups, and more. In this day-long intensive workshop, participants will learn to use theatre and improv games, dialogue-building exercises, and role-playing scenes to involve people in a fun, meaningful experience that encourages dialogue and positive change.
Theatre can be used to: create respect for diversity; stimulate and express creativity; strengthen teamwork; develop problem-solving skills; and encourage dialogue about bullying, body image, diversity, self-esteem, substance use, and other challenging issues. For registration information, visit www.interplaytheatre.com. You can also contact Katherine at or 765-414-2050 for more details.
Added by Sandy on May 18, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Michigan Making Inroads in Interreligious Dialogue & Peacebuilding
I received an inspiring email from my friends Libby and Len Traubman today. The message talks about the media attention that some peace activists, artists and dialogue practitioners in Michigan have been getting for their phenomenal programs. ?“A handful of people in Michigan are causing Muslims, Jews, and Christians to open their hearts and minds,?” say Len and Libby. Read the full email by clicking below. To get on the Traubman's mailing list, email them at . The Traubmans are hubs in the Jewish/Palestinian dialogue community.
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Added by Sandy on March 28, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Resource Binder Available from ADI's National Exchange
The fabulous resource/program binder that Animating Democracy compiled for participants in their October 2003 National Exchange on Art & Civic Dialogue is now available for purchase. Drawing together participants from across disciplines, this 2003 conference offered a lively exploration of the philosophical, practical, and aesthetic aspects of arts and humanities activities that seek to stimulate civic dialogue on important contemporary issues. This resource includes session notes and descriptions, participant biographies, essays and case studies about arts-based civic dialogue work, and a list of resources (including some great stuff taken directly from NCDD's website, with permission of course). The binder is $25. Go to www.AmericansForTheArts.org and click on the bookstore icon.
Added by Sandy on March 24, 2004??-??Link to this entry
New Monograph on Public Art
Public Art: An Essential Component of Creating Communities, a new Monograph by Jack Becker, is a must-read for advocacy tool everyone involved in public art - from elected officials and community members to artists and arts administrators. This Monograph provides a comprehensive overview of the field and presents responses to important questions: What is public art? Why is public art beneficial to the health of a community? What are the critical issues in the field? $9.25. Go to www.AmericansForTheArts.org and click on the bookstore icon.
Added by Sandy on March 24, 2004??-??Link to this entry
New Case Study on Arts-Based Civic Dialogue Experiences
A case study on Perseverance Theatre has been posted on the Animating Democracy website. A statewide tour of the Theatre?’s adaptation of ?“Moby Dick?” in Barrow, Fairbanks, and Anchorage engaged a diverse citizenry in dialogue about contentious issues of subsistence rights and the urban-rural divide in Alaska. The case study is adapted from reflective analysis by Perseverance's executive director Jeffrey Herrmann, former artistic director Peter DuBois, and dialogue coordinator Susan McInnis. They recount their commitment to bolstering a nonofficial level of public engagement after experiences with the "gatekeepers" of civic discourse. They describe a shift from envisioning civic dialogue in terms of large public gatherings that address policy to valuing more intimate gatherings in which personal story is a potent motivation and a stepping stone to civic deliberation.
Added by Sandy on February 18, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Fascinating Review of a Recent Gathering of Artists, Educators & Activists
Andrea Assaf of the Animating Democracy Initiative has written up a fascinating, inspiring review of the January 2004 National Convergence of Artists, Educators, and Activists. Inspired by Grace Lee Boggs and conversations on art and social change at the Animating Democracy National Exchange on Art & Civic Dialogue (October 2003), the National Convergence attracted more than 200 people to New Orleans last month. In her article, Assaf reflects on the impetus, unfolding, and impacts of this convening. To read the article and additional reflections by participants, visit the Community Arts Network (CAN) website.
Added by Sandy on February 17, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Lamppost Art Demonstrations Highlight Democracy
?“We the People?” seeks city hosts for lamppost art exhibitions www.republicart.org ?“We the People,?” a lamppost banner series based on the theme of democracy, is seeking city hosts. The show, currently debuting on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut, with 35 lampposts displaying 50 different works by local artists, plans to be in Boston during the Democratic National Convention in July. The exhibit intends to increase public awareness and participation in our political process. As part of its tour, rePublicArt.org offers the banner exhibition or can send artists to conduct local workshops to create local banners.
Added by Sandy on February 16, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra Facilitates Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue in New York
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, in partnership with the Dialogue Project, hosted a series of dialogues among Jewish-Palestinian groups in New York through their presentation of the John Adams opera ?“The Death of Klinghoffer.?” The Klinghoffer Dialogue Project, led by Ted Wiprud--Animating Democracy veteran through the American Composers Orchestra project ?“Coming to America?”--consisted of three pre-production dialogue sessions, each focusing on one aspect of the production: the words, the staging, and the music of the opera; and one postproduction dialogue offering an opportunity for participants to reflect and discuss related issues. In addition, as part of the ongoing Open Rehearsal Initiative, classes at three diverse Brooklyn high schools studied ?“The Death of Klinghoffer.?” Animating Democracy supported this project; a profile of the project is being developed for our website. www.brooklynphilharmonic.org/2003_2004/KlinghofferDP.htm
Added by Sandy on February 15, 2004??-??Link to this entry
San Diego Repertory Theatre Awarded for its Arts-Based Dialogue Efforts
In January, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle awarded the 2003 Outstanding New Play Award to playwrights Bernardo Solano and Allan Havis, and director Sam Woodhouse for ?“Nuevo California,?” the Rep?’s Animating Democracy project. The world premier of this multilingual theatre work explores physical and cultural boundaries along the United States/Mexico border. The play and its development process engaged citizens on both sides of the border in dialogue about reducing or increasing cross-border economic, cultural, transportation, and employment exchange. San Diego critics chose ?“Nuevo California?” from over 100 productions produced in San Diego last year.
Added by Sandy on February 14, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Creative America Launches New Website
Creative America, a new project developed to encourage creative workers to contribute to transforming American civic life, launched its new site in January 2004. The project invites creative workers to access the site and upload their personal vision for what a Creative America looks like. As a result, Creative America will present the major presidential candidates, with a collective statement about what a Creative America looks like and needs for every citizen to express their creative potential. www.creativeamerica.us
Added by Sandy on February 14, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Bauen Camp 2004 to Focus on Arts-Based Civic Dialogue
Located in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming, the Bauen Camp teaches young people ages 13?–18 how arts can be used to build social creativity and responsibility. The camp will focus on arts-based civic dialogue during this summer's sessions, July 2?–August 9, 2004. The artist staff will include Animating Democracy staff member Andrea Assaf; scholar Ferdinand Lewis, who participated as a writer in Animating Democracy?’s Critical Perspectives project; and Community Art Network's co-director, artist Bob Leonard. Professionals are invited to select outstanding young people from their projects and communities to be a part of the 2004 program. Applications are due May 15, 2004. Scholarships and internships will be offered.
Added by Sandy on February 11, 2004??-??Link to this entry
Warhol Museum Fosters Dialogue About Capital Punishment
A recent exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was designed to foster reflection and dialogue about capital punishment. ?“Andy Warhol's Electric Chairs: Reflecting on Capital Punishment in America?” presented Warhol's Electric Chair series of paintings and prints together with diverse audio and written points of view as a catalyst to generate dialogue around the various sides of the capital punishment debate. Go to www.warhol.org/education/electric_chair.html for images from the exhibition, contextual material, audio points of view, visitor responses and more.
