Abstract
Professional development for artists and their community partners has been a core element of the Center’s work for the past 30 years. A central aspect of our curriculum has been the use of narrative fiction to introduce artists and their community partners to the often complex and ambiguous challenges they will face working together in communities and social institutions. The approach has been simple and effective, namely, making art to shine a light on what it takes to integrate arts-based tools and strategies to help heal and make change in these complicated environments. More specifically, we use stories about fictional neighborhoods and organizations to tell the real story of what it’s like to navigate them as creative change agents. In these narratives’ artists, and community members, administrators, and line staff explore the conundrums and contradictions, the heartaches and little victories that creative partners dance with every day in these “other places.” This showcase includes: Strategies for researching and developing authentic narratives for use in training; Examples of story-based curricular strategies and their uses; Engaging fictional characters and scenarios for learning and understanding community and institutional cultures; Using stories as a safe space for building cultural competency and trust; Using real-time unfolding narratives to practice and build partnership skills; Employing fiction-based strategies to help arts and non-arts partners find common ground and mutual self-interest.
Presenters
William ClevelandFounder/Director, Center for the Study of Art & Community, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
Community Arts, Story-Based Training, Cross-sector Creative Partnerships, Social Change
