The Big Canvas Confab - Group Eight

The Big Canvas Confab - Group Eight

Our group had close to 20 people, among them several heads of arts and culture organizations, practicing artists, educators, people with high-tech experience, and more. We were approximately 2/3 white and 1/3 African American, mostly women. We had youth, elders, and in between, with many suburban residents, but a good handful of Philadelphia city folks. Moderators were Kiki Bolender and Carolyn Chernoff. Philadelphia Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown and Big Canvas advisory board (and Big Confab panel) member Germaine Ingram also joined the group.

What elected officials thought most important:

• Arts not a “soft issue” — they generate money and jobs.
• Actionable items for elected officials
• The 1996 hot topic [for elected officials] was regionalism and the arts—people  lost interest in working on it, but it still is hot topic.
• Need for trust and for action.
• Regional marketing — share resources, engage regional marketing professionalsare sound and have strong.

What the arts and culture leaders/workers thought most important:

• “The arts have been my avenue…”
• Big Canvas is an opportunity to create new models and use arts to educate the whole child.
• Solultion is not to simply increase the number of arts educators — need quality.
• Picasso Project (PCCY) as model.
     → Originally a temporary fix [additional funding] for hard times; still are hard times.
     → “Stopgap” strategies are useful.
     → Best [Picasso Project] projects are co-designed and collaborative (teachers and artists together).
• This really isn’t about money—we need strategies for fat and lean times.
• Youth Study Center portrait project (another successful project model).

What people liked:

• Bridging barriers to access.
• Passport, parking, transportation.
• Culture bus to reach underserved venues.
• Finding common ground crucial for action.
• Healing power of arts.
• Arts in schools and the impact of volunteer effort.
• Barnes advocates say Barnes move disempowers Lower Merion.
• In current economic context, common ground and collaboration more important than ever
     → Natural evolution of organization. Four crucial elements:
          · Governing
          · Marketing
          · Boards/Fundraising
          · Strategic Plan
          · About 22,000 nonprofits in region! (see guidestar.org)
• Arts and culture as important as infrastructure for humanity and region and…
• 1033 vs 501©3 status helps organizations register for official status.
• Need for broad coalitions across group type.
• Need to catalog who’s out there.
• Challenges arts educators face — and transformative experiences arts educators provide.
• Need quantitative data on impact of arts.
• Artsusa.org, Philanthropy News Digest [and others] have data!
• Using data to support arts opportunities for youth—academic and other benefits.
• Issue of intensity [(of arts opportunities).
• Robert Putnam (education for democracy), social capital and student achievement—arts groups as a measure (of flourishing civic engagement, etc.); arts build better citizens and communities.
• City Hall looks at $ not social capital — but [soc capital] should be on the political agenda.
• Tech community and venture capitalists — Philly as (potential) East Coast Silicon Valley (Prince Theater example - reusing sets).
• Need for communication so organizations can collaborate
     → Uwishuknew.com
• How to share strengths/benefits?
     → Geeks Who Give example
          · Environment
          · Economy
          · Hunger relief
• International models — London/Mayor Livingstone, different social context but still inspirational.

Common ground:

• Need for regional marketing.
• Start with the kids, involve tech community.
• Communication, Communication, Communication!
     → Not only Internet (and how to filter/problem of TOO MUCH info?)
     → Other ways for face to face communication?
     → Face time and interaction with leaders
     → Regional leaders must come to conversation and to common ground
• Pay attention to how people listen and hear.
     → Need for multiple ways of PR and marketing
     → Web essential for web users but leaves many out
• 3 Cs (Communication, collaboration, creativity).
• Conversation, not just lists.
• 4th “C”: CONCEIVE.
• Can’t wait for money.
• Still suburban/city tensions that must be addressed.