Building Bridges: Arts and Cultural Organizations Engaging with the Military Community
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Presenter(s): Flo Lentz, Program Manager, 4Culture Greg Owen, Hot Shop Heroes Program Manager, Museum of Glass Felicia Kelley, Senior Program Officer, California Humanities Emily Zaiden, Director, Craft in America Center Moderator: Hillary Ryan, Associate Director of Communications, Museum of Glass "Military" and "arts" are not words that are frequently linked, but in many innovative programs throughout the West, arts and culture organizations are engaging with the military community and diving into deep and meaningful work about the impact of war on individuals, families, and communities. Join this session and learn about the strides being made with this not-so-odd coupling. #Trending
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Building Bridges: Arts and Cultural Organizations Engaging with the Military Community
- 1. “Building Bridges: Arts and Cultural Organizations Engaging with the Military Community” Western Museums Association – San Jose Monday, October 26, 2015 Felicia Kelley, PhD, Senior Program Officer California Humanities
- 2. California Humanities (formerly Cal Humanities) seeks to connect Californians to ideas and one another in order to understand our shared heritage and diverse cultures, inspire civic participation, and shape our future. California Humanities is an independent nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- 4. • Why? War Comes Home Context
- 5. War Comes Home Goals and Objectives Create opportunities for the veteran voice to be expressed and heard Deepen understanding and awareness about the experience of coming home after war/military service Promote deeper thinking and discussion about the impact of war on California communities
- 6. War Comes Home Activities and Programs
- 7. The Legacy
- 8. The Legacy
- 9. The Legacy
- 10. War Ink
- 11. War Ink • Memorial tattooing is a form of storytelling as well as a cultural signifier • California veterans – mostly recent conflicts • Diverse experiences and backgrounds • Allows veterans to speak directly to the public and for the public to “listen” • Thematic organization spans “arc” of veteran experience – leaving home, service, and return • Images and words
- 12. War Ink “… thank you…for getting it, for letting us tell our stories in our way”
- 14. • Many veterans want to share stories, but others are cautious. • Importance of establishing trust and respect. • Partnerships can help bridge divisions – but be careful about choosing partners. • Exhibits – and stories -- provide good entry points for those unfamiliar with veteran community. • Veterans are very interested in these topics; may be more difficult to engage civilians and to get to deeper issues.
- 15. www.calhum.org Northern California Office -- Oakland Southern California Office -- Los Angeles Felicia Kelley, Senior Program Officer fkelley@calhum.org (213) 346-3239 . Contact
Editor's Notes
- Originally founded in 1975 as a granting organization, through the years we have created and implemented our own signature humanities programs and projects. Cal Humanities now plays a critical role across the state in producing, funding, and supporting cultural experiences and events. Main office – San Francisco Southern California office – Los Angeles
- Cal Humanities periodically undertakes thematic initiatives such as Searching for Democracy (2010 – 2012). Our most recent project (still underway) is War Comes Home – a multi-format project that aims to raise awareness of the veteran experience and promote dialogue and greater understanding between those who have served and the civilian population. Our new initiative, War Comes Home, will focus on increasing public understanding of our veterans’ experience and fostering thoughtful community reflection and dialogue.
- After 10 years of active conflict in the Middle East, and proposed drawdown of troops from Afghanistan in 2014, seemed like a good point to take stock of impact of recent wars. At same time, growing national attention about veterans and the challenges they face in returning to society. Reflected in support and interest from public and private sector institutions. California has largest veteran population in the nation, so particularly relevant. Finally, increasing concern about the growing gap between the 1% who currently serve and the 99% of us who don’t – and what might be short and long term consequences of this gulf in experience and culture for our society in the long term.
- Enable veterans’ stories and experiences to be expressed and heard/read/understood – start from premise that veterans are generally speaking, an underrepresented “voice” despite all that is said about and for them. Challenge stereotypes about veterans. Enable veterans to speak for themselves. Encourage greater discussion in communities about the realities of coming home after service and immediate issues faced by veterans and families – go beyond “thank you for your service” to understand what veterans need and what we (all) owe them. Encourage deeper thinking about the impact of war on communities and society – promote broader awareness of our shared responsibility as citizens for the actions and consequences of political decisions made by/for us Our new initiative, War Comes Home, will focus on increasing public understanding of our veterans’ experience and fostering thoughtful community reflection and dialogue.
- Statewide read of related book -- CA Reads (summer and fall 2014) K-12 Teacher Professional Development Program (2014-2015) Community Stories grant-funded projects (ongoing) Literature & Medicine® in VA Medical Centers (ongoing) Traveling exhibit (beginning winter 2015)
- War letters archive of historian Andrew Carroll (Chapman Univ.) Pairing of historical and contemporary letters from a diverse group of CA veterans Six themes address arc of leaving home, service, and return
- Curators (Carroll and Benitz) selected representative letters; input from Calif. Humanities, Exhibit Envoy, and veteran stakeholders throughout the process 1 year project Supported by Ca. State Library and California Humanities
- 13 panels – easy to configure Cell phone audio tour (Spanish version too) Gallery guides Supplemental interviews Public programming tie-ins Exhibit Envoy designed and fabricated traveling banner exhibit and are managing exhibit tour to run through 2017. Exhibit has traveled to 12 sites and had almost 300K visitors since January 2015. Positive feedback from visitors.
- This new online exhibit launched last November (Veterans Day) shares stories and images contributed by 24 California veterans, focusing on the culture of tattoo art and its meaning within the veteran community. Extraordinary reception and national attention.
- Process: Project director (librarian) and veteran advisor reached out to network of local, then statewide veterans orgs, campuses, and tattoo parlors to recruit participants. 4 day photoshoot and interview session. Enlisted toptier professionals through Hollywood connections to craft website. Major pr push for Vet. Day 2014 launch.
- Value of collaboration – library and veteran/vsos Contributions of partners – more libraries, funders, pro bono services Awards – ALA, Webby nomination, independent media designers Deep impact on participants – voicing experience/healing, viewers – deep listening, changing military policy re tattooing