Arts Build Communities Part 2

“ How Do the Arts Build Communities?” Part 2 [email_address] www.tresser.com

The Howard Theater

Lobby Theater

Open Mic

Festivals

Special events

Meetings

Upstairs Space

Dances

Rentals

Classes

Other Spaces First floor of our HQ office bldg. On the street Nearby vacant lot

The Howard Theater

No budget – no history? No problem…

Sat in front of theater w. model

Visited community organizations

Signs asking for collaboration

Built stage in lobby up against glass doors

The Community Arts Program

April 1993 to Dec 1995

Staff of 7

Budget of $225,000

Serving approx. 12,000 community residents/year

Stories in local papers, radio, magazines & TV

Source of funds:

Chicago Community Trust

MacArthur Foundation

City of Chicago CityArts Program

Illinois Arts Council

Local Initiatives Support Corp.

The Community Arts Program FIND ARTIIST AGREE ON PROJECT OR CLASS PH provided space, marketing, $ for supplies, coaching TRIAL RUN OF PROJECT EXPAND, INCREASE MARKETING, ADD SESSIONS PILOT MICRO-ENTERPRISE Unsuccessful - discontinue Successful – not appropriate for enterprise

The Community Arts Program EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS

START SMALL, FIND WHAT WORKS AND BUILD…

Started as one-time event

Monthly, then weekly

Talent Show Cable TV Record album Writing class Newspaper Served as “point-of-entry” gateway All Ages Open Mic

FESTIVALS

Class leads to tile making/installation crew, becomes a co-op business

Watch video

Drum class students form performance ensemble for paying gigs

Do you watch Def Poetry Jam? Malik Yusef was part of the Howard Street Community Arts Program, with 2 tracks on “The Best of Howard Street.” Listen to “Hollywood Jerome.”

CAP Operating Principles…

Start where the people are.

Seduce, recruit local artists.

Leverage mastery of space.

Make the path by walking it.

Listen, learn and lead.

Iteration, quick start, use seed funds.

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION http://www.xroadsproject.org

3 Premises

Creativity is a muscle

Art is information

Communities are cultures

http://www.xroadsproject.org

“ CRAFT” approach

Contact

Research

Action

Feedback

Teaching

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION * DOES THE ARTIST HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO OFFER? 1. ARTISTS BRING NEW WAYS OF THINKING AND DOING 2. ARTISTS PRACTICE COLLABORATION AND TEAM BUILDING 3. ARTISTS CREATE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING AND HAVE VISION TO PRODUCE BEAUTY WHERE NONE IS OBVIOUS “ Imagination precedes implementation.”

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION * HOW CAN THE ARTS FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? 1. ARTS PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC SAFETY, TRUST, CIVIC COHESION 2. DOING ART BUILDS MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES AND DEVELOPS COLLABORATIVE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS 3. ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS OFFER RICH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR THE CREATIVE ECONOMY

Arts+CD websites… www.villagearts.org www.manchesterguild.org www.creativecommunitiesonline.org

Arts+CD websites… www.developmentgateway.org www.cominguptaller.org www.communityarts.net

[email_address] www.tresser.com Creativity is America's most precious natural resource. It's renewable, unlimited and universally available. Creativity is our heritage, our promise and the source of our prosperity. And, like a natural resource, creativity needs to be respected, conserved, stewarded and celebrated. But, like a natural resource, creativity can be polluted, squandered and blocked. Tom Tresser is a consultant, producer, educator and trainer who can help individuals, companies and communities leverage and amplify their creative assets in order to solve problems, create economic value and trigger civic engagement.