Updates
New things have happened regarding a couple of the previous posts to this blog.
First, on March 13 I wrote about the work of Prof. Ann Markusen and graduate assistant Amanda Johnson in the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs on Artists' Centers. Prof. Markusen and a different set of collaborators, in California, have just published a related study entitled Crossover: How Artists Build Careers Across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work. The study may be read on, or downloaded from, the web site.
They asked about 1800 artists (visual, music, dance) in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas how they divided their time between the commercial, non-profit, and community sectors. To their surprise, they found that "Large numbers of artists split their arts time among the three sectors." Each sector provided different and important rewards:
Commercial sector:
* understanding of artistic and professional conventions
* broader visibility
* networking that enhances artwork opportunities
* higher rates of return
Not-for-profit sector:
* aesthetic satisfaction
* exploring new media
* collaborating with artists across media
* satisfying emotional needs
Community sector:
* enriching community life
* affirming cultural identity
* pursuing political and social justice goals
This study, like the previous one, provides invaluable insights into how the arts—and academic study thereof—engage with the various sectors of society.
Second, the same day (November 7) I wrote the blog Neighbors about the Cedar-Riverside community that abuts the West Bank campus of the University of Minnesota, The Minnesota Daily published an article reporting that the City of Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development had established a Bridging Communities Grant Program, and asked the U's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs to design and administer the program. The goal is to resolve issues of prejudice against immigrants, and to "encourage immigrant and non-English speaking resident involvement in neighborhood groups". Such three-way community-university-city partnerships are an encouraging development.