Posted on 09/21/2009 2:59:33 AM PDT by machogirl
******************************************************* Introduction On May 12th, more than 60 artists and creative organizers engaged in civic participation, community development, education, social justice activism, and philanthropy came together for a White House briefing on Art, Community, Social Justice, National Recovery. This meeting combined the interests of several groups addressing intersecting issues. All are interested in the power of the arts to build communities and create change. Arlene Goldbard requested a meeting with community cultural development practitioners and thinkers to talk about how the remarkable mobilizing power of community arts can be used by the Obama administration as a tool and a pathway for national recovery. Claudine Brown of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, arts organizer Billy Wimsatt and Caron Atlas working with the Pratt Center for Community Development and State Voices, requested a meeting with policy makers, artists and organizers. Their intent was to identify existing efforts within the cultural and social justice movements that are in alignment with the national agenda and to discuss our common pursuits and possibilities. This diverse group includes Hip Hop organizers, green designers, creative communicators, social networkers, and other visual, performing, and media artists committed to social justice from both the non-profit and for-profit sectors who are working on such issues as green jobs, health care and economic justice. Each of the sponsors of this meeting had been in contact with Yosi Sergant who was then an Associate with the White House Office of Public Liaison (and is now Communications Director of the National Endowment for the Arts.) Once we understood that a larger meeting would enable us to access more advisors and policymakers, it made sense to combine forces and invitation lists. The Washington DC meeting had three parts: 1) a meeting at the Kaiser Family Foundation to prepare for the briefing, 2) the two-hour White House briefing at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and 3) a post-briefing meeting at Bus Boys & Poets to interpret and respond to what we had learned and to engage in small-group strategy sessions including: cultural policy, green jobs, immigration, public/private space, healthcare reform, organizing power on behalf of community artists, and a department of alternative thinking. This report includes notes from the White House briefing and from the post-briefing strategy session. The latter includes a summary of the small group discussions and the full notes submitted by each group, including contact information. Our intention in issuing this report is to ensure transparency for colleagues who were not at the meeting, so that they can weigh in on what was learned from the White House and respond to it. Thanks to Meghan McDermott for her extensive notes and great first draft. As our White House hosts repeated throughout the briefing, this is the beginning of a conversation. We hope that this report extends the conversation throughout the field and that it continues and expands wherever people care about art, community, social justice and national recovery. Caron Atlas, Claudine Brown, Arlene Goldbard & Billy Wimsatt................CONTINUED
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SUMMARY
White House Briefing: Art, Community, Social Justice, National Recovery On May 12th, more than 60 artists and creative organizers engaged in civic participation, community development, education, social justice activism, and philanthropy will come together for a White House briefing. During the campaign, powerful narratives, compelling images, and creative activism moved people from all walks of life to get involved in civic participation and public service. Every day, artists and organizers apply our knowledge and creativity to the actions that make democracy concrete. We perceive this as a favorable moment to catalyze broad public support for a bold and forward-looking national agenda and we look forward to discussing how we might work together toward that end. Our purposes for this White House briefing are: (1) To learn about key Obama Administration initiatives that might be advanced through the long-term engagement of artists working with communities; (2) To connect the creative community with campaigns and other action opportunities involving important national issues; (3) To share the exemplary work of our diverse field; (4) To facilitate the inclusion of dynamic cultural strategies as an integral part of the administration’s agenda for economic recovery, community renewal and civic engagement. Our work encompasses both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Our group includes individuals working independently and with a range of organizations and networks, in new and old media, including hip hop activists, green designers, creative communicators, arts educators, social networkers, and visual, performing, literary and media artists. While we work in many different ways, we share a common dedication to the power of the word, music, and image to capture moments of triumph, struggle, and transcendence. Within our group we: • Honor unheard, authentic and diverse voices; • Reach the hearts and minds of Americans who often are not included in organizing campaigns or town hall meetings, transcending the polarization that marks so much public discourse; • Cultivate social imagination, helping people to envision positive changes in their communities and the nation, to see past differences to common purpose and see themselves as part of the change; • Engage the earthshaking power of creativity in the service of national recovery. Some of us focus on the arts’ power to call attention to possibility and generate hope. Some of us focus on cultural development as a process that cultivates democracy through art and imagination, through shared stories and an experience of our own creativity. Some of us focus on cultural recovery, putting artists to work for the common good in communities across the country. As artists and organizers we are interested in advancing public policies, generating ideas, raising the visibility of key issues, and working collaboratively with the administration in support of its long-term goals. We have a deep passion for social justice and experience in carrying out successful programs and campaigns. We see this as a special moment of opportunity to be of service and advance the administration’s goals for national recovery. That the briefing is taking place is unprecedented acknowledgement from the White House that our work’s value is being perceived, which we receive with gratitude and hope. We look forward to using our creative muscle in collaboration with the Obama administration, making our mutual vision for change a reality. We will meet after the briefing to immediately begin drawing on what we have learned to inform our strategies for future action. Caron Atlas, Claudine Brown, Arlene Goldbard & Billy Wimsatt
You are right. Only hip-hop type music.
I think Art has a place in Healthcare, that is for Adults and Kids that have chronic or terminal illnesses (or their family members do) it can be very therapeutic. Also waiting and hospital rooms can become more soothing. But I don’t think that they were talking about that. It’s how can Healthcare (SEIU) use Art to get Obama’s agenda passed? How can they use Art to respond to Republican talking points?
I agree with the guy who first wrote about this on biggovernment.com, these kind of politics have no place in the NEA (if we have to have the NEA).
You know what they call urine in a water or milk jug?
“Trucker Bombs”.
Well if that's the case then I've misunderstood the discussion so far.
Of course they're not going to use classical music to get voters to support healthcare.
Unless they were smarter and realized that the demographics that support classical music are the seniors and those seniors would feel that a classical-themed campaign would probably give a more serious and responsible air to the entire issue.
But, like I said, they're not that smart.
“talk about how the remarkable mobilizing power of community arts can be used by the Obama administration as a tool and a pathway for national recovery.”
Funny stuff. I talked to an old guy who was part of a crew that created “art” under FDR. (Forgot the name of the program.) Anyway, he and a large crew of “artists” created literally tons of art and paintings and especially sculpture work. He told me to take a trip to a warehouse in Milwaukee, and inside were hundreds of pieces of art, collecting dust and forgotten.
By way of my incoherent posting due to lack of sleep. (got my youngest home with some type of flu), I don’t think that I was very clear.
This doc that I found on scribe, describes their entire agenda and using “Art” and the non-political (yea right) NEA. It was related to the “Conference call” story that Breitbart broke yesterday, and Glenn Beck spoke about last week. I just couldn’t believe that there had been any other meetings with the WH besides that conference call. This meeting happened on May 12, 2009. The conference call was in early August.
I know what Obama’s agenda is, or at least thought I knew. To read it in a WH briefing was astounding. (to me) Cronies were there, they described whom to form “relationships with” in the WH (Jarrett). Most of those on the list that I googled are far lefties with far lefty agendas.
In Phoenix, the city paid a couple hundred thousand for some concrete “pots” to adorn the tops of the freeway walls. I don’t even know if these are there anymore. It was a big waste of money and a lot of the talk radio hosts were making fun of it. This happened at least 10 years ago if not more.
When I was in high school, I did a Federal Program over the summer called YCC, Youth Conservation Corp. We made concrete picnic benches and tables for a soon-to-be park. The park never was and the next year when I drove out to look at it, the stuff was destroyed. One of the leaders of our group said that the Federal Govt. came in and wrecked it. Figures.
It’s early. Maybe we’re *both* confused!
zer0’s agenda sucks and there is no place for the NEA to become the taxpayer-funded propaganda wing of the 0bama Project.
On that I think there is no confusion, right? :0)
right-O ;)
I have not been drinking. ;)
For anyone wanting to know more about Buffy (since she’s in the news and maybe soon to be thrown under the bus) she’s engaged.
“ENGAGED: White House Office of Public Engagement Deputy Director Buffy Wicks and FERC policy hand Michael Kadish. Wedding is anticipated to be May 2010. They met on the campaign trail when he attended a “Camp Obama” session that she was leading. Mr. Kadish asked for Ms. Wicks’ hand during a recent trip to Sicily, Italy. While the two were having a romantic picnic, Mr. Kadish popped out the custom made ring and asked for Ms. Wicks to be his wife. After a couple of teary minutes, she gave the affirmative. People throughout the Administration, throughout Missouri, New York and California, and literally spanning the globe are sending best wishes to the couple. Get ready for toasts, parties, roasts, you name it. (hat tip: Debbie Mesloh, Ben Smith)”
Bittersweet engagement right now I’d say.
Pinging to this thread in anticipation of the Breitbart revelation to come later today on the NEA.
Sounds good. That briefing is really, really interesting. The plans they have for America. The NEA guy wants to ‘reinvent’ the NEA, of course with lefty agendas.
To read later
It’s a really mind-blowing read. I don’t think that I’m understating it at all.
direct link to PDF of meeting on 5-12
http://www.statevoices.org/system/files/WH%20Briefing%20Report%206-4-09_0.pdf
Bump and a h/t to you on Big Hollywood:
Barf... The Office of Valerie Jarrett has taken over the effort to push this - Mitzi Something (a Valerie Jarrett aide) is fronting.
yes! i might have a shot in a couple years of being in the “royal order of the alpha freeper”.
Valerie Jarrett has her hands everywhere, and I though Hillary was good. Hill looks like a Girl Scout compared to this.
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