Open Dialogue IX:
Symposium Report
July 18-20, 2003   San Jose, California
Open Space Technology process used for Symposium
participants to begins crafting national arts policy

Day ONE: The Elders speak: The Emerging Leaders Share their thoughts:

James Early: Luncheon Speaker Click here to see his speech

The next steps:
where we've been, where we're going
theme: what is the impact of national arts policy on people of color?

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Open Dialogue Support:
Symposium Host - San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs
William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Americans for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council,
Arts Council-Silicon Valley, Manchester Craftsmen Guild, Mexican Heritage Plaza,
Packard Foundation, and the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Thank you for making this event possible - People of Color in the Arts

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SEE OPEN DIALOGUE IX PHOTOS HERE

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Open Dialogue IX
National Arts Policy
Setting the Agenda for the Future

The following is the synopsis for a working agenda for people of color in the arts. The material was developed as part of the Open Dialogue IX, Symposium on Cultural Diversity in the Arts. Open Dialogue took place in San Jose, California on July 18 through 20, 2003.

The various session subjects were developed through the Open Space Technology (OST) process at the beginning of the Dialogue. Lucille Dabney & Associates conducted the OST process and compiled this report. Session subjects were selected by the participants. Next a meeting of the session was scheduled for the participants to discuss and organize a strategy, plan or recommendation. The TAAC board will review the material and make recommendations on possible next steps. The following is a list of sessions and the convener of the session.

List of Sessions and Conveners

Attandees post session titles on the wall

1. Get Off The Bus	John Paul Batiste
2. Arts & Culture in Rural Communities	Mayumi Tsutakawa
3. Emerging Leaders Initiative	Maria Dadgar
4. Influencing Policy On The Local Level in Support of Arts & Education	Shirley Sneve
5. Panel Processes	Betty Switzer
6. Getting & Keeping Artists Engaged In the Discussions & Development Of Arts Policy	Alec Simpson
7. Federal Indian Art Policies	Rick Hill
8. TAAC as Association of Service Organizations	Keryl McCord
9. Should I be Identified as An Artist of Color	Terry Agebo Davis
10. Connecting the Dots	Jessica White & Cathy Silvern
11. Keeper of the $/Co-Opted Arts Administers	Sheila Austin & Gayle Waden
12. Increasing Arts Education & Advocacy At the Undergraduate & Graduate Level	Ellissa Collier and Barbara Buck
13. Ethnic organizations - Do They Exist to Not Exist?	Leslie Ito
14. Addressing the Tension Among Ethnic Groups	Gayle Waden
15. Forming a Collective Voice for Funders	Maria Dadgar
16. Bring Creative Expression (ARTS) Back to the Center	Theresa Harlan
17. How Do Diverse Communities Respond to the NEA's Shakespeare Initiative? &, How to Advocate in Your Local Communities	Pamela Holt

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1. GET OFF THE BUS

Convener:   John Paul Batiste
Recorder:   Jenjoy Roybal

Participants:
Betty Switzer, Doreen Mitchum, Alice Valdez, Abel Lopez, Anthony Radich, Daniel Bustamante, Dianne Green, Lucera Arrellano, Keryl McCord, Sylvia Lowe, Sheila Austin, Victoria Bomberry, Lori Robishaw, Pamela Holt, Gayle Waden,

Summary of actions identified in this session:

1. Partner with civil rights organization to take action.

2. Be a watchdog for people of color for regional organizations.

3. Create an absence that can be felt.

4. Non-participation for a year.

5. Don't apply.

6. Get someone else elected.

7. TAAC organize an Association of Associations of service/organizations/networks/advocacy organizations and civil rights org.

8. People of color lobby on our own behalf.

9. Hit the infrastructure-ask people not to serve for a year.

10. Make a cultural policy statement. Make recommendation for a specific outcome.

11. Investigate action mobilizing. Models: Move-on, W.A. State Art Alliance. (Potentially partner-up)

12. Burn the application books.

13. Go to the Saturday Session at 9:30-11:30 in the Sacramento Room. Get organized. Move agenda forward.

14. Make a statement to media after this conference.

15. Demand organization and commitment from within TAAC.

GENERAL NOTES FROM SESSION:

This is the time to leverage what happens next.

It is a critical time.

No Adhoc. Must be organized.

TAAC organization should partner with other civil rights organizations to take action.

TAAC should be the watchdog for people of color for regional organization.

Action in an environment that ignores process and participation.

Don't apply for funding, as a message to the arts establishment.

Non-participation for one year.

What would be the final impact?

A Dark day in activity.

Create absences that can be felt.

No one would participate.

Would it be missed?

Need to link to media: local, state, and national representatives.

They do need you (aka the arts).

Get someone else elected.

People of color - lobby on our own behalf. (To who, what, when where)

Power of one.

Shakespeare initiative. Take action.

Identify the environment allowing the shift to occur nationally and locally.

Value of the NEA?

Clarity with the outcome.

The process is not allowing for input towards the outcome.

Mdarts.com using the tech to move our cause forward.

Revision of making some deals.

Burn the application book.

Dynamic methods to get the job done.

They hate bad publicity.

Political pressure.

Call it racist (marketing)

Lawsuit! They have to respond.

There needs to be a downside to a representative not supporting the arts.

Public policy- our greatest leverage is government funding at national, state, and local levels.

Action models worth investigating.

"Move On" WA. State Art Alliance.

How can you mobilize your cell?

Show up at the office to express your concerns and issues.

E-mail- a Lot!!!!!!!!

Political action = 1 meeting.

Strategies that will help us be perceived in a different light.

Attach a task force to a representative.

Representatives need to question the action?

If funding sources are talking about and taking action that affects the arts. They should be required to have us at the tables.

Be specific about keeping the action going. - Boycott the Shakespeare Initiative.

Don't apply for funding.

We are not getting a fair share of our tax dollars.

Hit the infrastructure.

Ask people not to serve for a year.

Hell no, we won't go.

Action = tactics & strategy.

Impact public policy.

Need the passion, push and commitment.

Need to identify the issue and take action, 1 or 2 strategies.

Take the individual responsibility to take action.

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2. ARTS AND CULTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

Convener- Recorder:   Mayumi Tsutakawa

Participants: Ellisa Collier, Veronica Enrique, Anthony Radich

Some of us had attended the AFTA Conference in Portland and Ellisa reviewed the rural issues that were discussed -- arts groups are not equipped to deal with newcomer immigrant groups that are growing in rural, agricultural and small town areas. In the Midwest, for example there are a lot of Mexican immigrants and the arts councils want to provide arts services to them but do not know how.

Some issues are that migrant workers may have low English skills, little time for activities outside work time, they are groups of single men without families that would help tie them to cultural activities, and there are few ethnic institutions to support them because they are new groups.

Veronique is from a small town next to San Diego and they don't have many ethnic arts activities.

We all agreed that there are Mexican music concerts with bands from Mexico that are totally within those communities and not in the mainstream. They are advertised by word of mouth, Spanish language newspaper or radio stations.

Some ideas for boosting rural arts of color include using the local library as a sponsor, making sure families are the focus. Anthony said you can support festivals by charging minimal admission ($1) or selling soda or beer or even asking the city government to buy the booths to provide to festivals.

Also, recognize that rural arts can include such cultural offerings as talent shows, queen contests or ethnic fashion shows that feature women and men of all ages.

Mayumi said some Native tribes are wealthy from the casinos, but don't support their native arts. The storytelling project in Washington with the Yakama Nation is sponsored by the tribal library and is meant to help preserve the native language.

Another example from Washington is the mariachi in the schools project where the local arts group is identifying local musicians to teach the school mariachi groups. But another goal is to teach the regular music teachers how to play mariachi so this music form can become part of the regular music curriculum and both Latino and non-Latino students can take the mariachi class for credit.

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3. EMERGING LEADERS INITIATIVE

Convener-Recorder: Maria Dadgar- Atlatl

Participants: Maria Dadgar, Pedro Perez, Yolanda Alameda, Sreekala Sripathy, Barbara Buck, Leslie Ito, Cheryl Platon, Mark Fraire, Jennifer Armstrong, Sophia Estante, Mai Bui

Results of the follow-up meeting for the youth task force:
1. Name Change - "Emerging Leaders Initiative."
2. Establish listservs to facilitate communication.
3. Nominate emerging leader to TAAC Board.
     Maria Dadgar-Board Nominee
     Jennifer Armstrong-Board Nominee
4. Attend national arts conferences to meet and share information with other emerging leaders.

Possible meetings to attend:
1. Americans for the Arts Wash., D.C. July 2004 Meet with AFTA emerging leaders forum.
2. Native Arts Network (NAN) Wash., D.C. Nov. 2004 Continue the discussion with national emerging leaders in the arts.
3. Take an active role in the planning & coordination of TAAC 2005.
4. Attend TAAC 2005 in Philadelphia, PA

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4. INFLUENCING POLICY ON THE LOCAL LEVEL     IN SUPPORT OF ARTS AND EDUCATION.

Convener: Shirley K. Sneve

Participants:
Ellisa Collier, Barbara Buck, Cheryl Platon, Veronica Enrique

Current federal political philosophy supports smaller government and lower taxes. The result at the local level is the "ghettoization" of our public schools. The trickle down tax cuts land at the local level resulting in the elimination of arts and athletic programs in public schools, K-12.

Communities need to be convinced of the errors in the philosophy. Without arts and sports in schools, many (perhaps MOST) students lose their incentive for getting out of bed and participating in their education. Schools suffer, communities suffer. Those who can afford private or charter schools removed their children, and subsequently their tax dollars in support of public education are diverted to other things.

Action steps:

Empower communities to participate.

Demand involvement through communications. Work with school advocacy groups (parent-teacher organizations) to help created the mechanisms for communications, such as listservs and schools newsletters on line.

Working through community arts groups, help shape "sound bite" messages for community members to use to prove the case for arts education.

Encourage corporate America's accountability to our youth as well. Do not support the violent culture in video games, TV and movies that is offered to our children.

Support intergenerational activities to engage citizens and close the generation gap. Relationships can be created so these two diverse groups begin to care for each other and understand their own issues.

Work with Americans for the Arts to help deliver the message to the local level.

In the meantime, how can local arts groups step up to the plate to help these disenfranchised groups?

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5. PANEL PROCESSES

Convener: Betty W. Switzer   Recorder Yolanda R. Alameda

Participants:
Maria Dadgar, ATLATL - Native Arts Network, Ronnie Jessie, City of Dallas - Office of Cultural Affairs, Wun Mark, Cantonese Opera Association - Silicon Valley, Adrianne Devereux, WESTAF, John Seto, California Arts Council,

The Key Question: How do we keep panels and panelists comments on track, targeted and constructive?

Discussion:
Panelist's training is important and distinction between staff and panelist's roles is crucial.
Staff should provide organizational history with funding, policy feedback, clarify and redirect panel process when it gets off track. Remind panelists that not all recommendations will go forward. Perhaps adopt practices of recording only comments as restated by the recorder and agreed upon by all panelists.

Question/Point:
Is there a way that we can do away with the panel process or radically change the way we review applications? Panel process is a requirement for disbursing public funding and should take into account panelists that reflect the discipline, ethnicity, gender and geographic diversity.

One example of a different approach: Assign an odd number of panelists to review the application (i.e. three not the entire panel) and have only those panelists discuss and vote on that application. This allows for a more thorough review.

Example two: Perhaps each panelist concentrates on reviewing only certain criteria or aspects, again to shorten the focus and perhaps allow for a more thorough review.

Question/Point: Should TAAC provide guidelines/ground rules for panel process?

Point/Question: Is legitimate selective focus still necessary to apply to organizations of color or at some point should veteran organizations of color be expected to diversify boards?

What is the directive to funding organizations from TAAC? Does the field need a directive? Yes

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6. GETTING AND KEEPING ARTISTS ENGAGED IN THE DISCUSSIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ARTS POLICY

Convener -Recorder: Alec Simpson

Participants:
Millie Lee, Papo De Asis, Betty Garza, Mai Bui

Evonne Coleman, in her comments and descriptions of the beginnings of TAAC, told of a conference designed to discuss the inclusion of "minorities" in arts and culture, yet, clearly had excluded people of color from these discussions. Afterwards, ten people of color gathered by the banks of the Mississippi River nearby the conference and vowed "no more would there be conversations about us without us!" Thus, the seeds of TAAC were sown.

The topic area of this discussion group grew out of the notion that if there are movements designed to influence, impact, discuss and develop arts policy, it is imperative that artists be present and actively engaged in the process, from beginning to end and along the way. Below are thoughts shared in the session.

Artists engage in the soul of the nation. Whether they realize it or not, they have a much bigger role to play than just creating and selling their art. Each artist has his or her own objective(s). It can be to purely express themselves, to also serve as a role model, use art as a tool to organize the community, help people to know their roots, empower them to be whole and maintain that wholeness as they integrate into the mainstream society. Artists may share some common objectives. There needs to take place an education of the artist that reinforces the notion of public responsibility. There is a responsibility for everyone, including artists, to use their gifts and talents for the common good. For, we are all in this together and the artist has a vital role to play.

We must listen to and talk with artists. This should be combined with talks about how to help artists, for artists need resources. Artists should not only be the solution to the problem or problems, but artists should also have their problems and needs addressed. As an artist of color, the challenges are even greater. You appear on the scene as an alternative culture and you have to penetrate the dominant culture if you want to achieve larger awareness and appreciation of your work. In addition, these artists must penetrate the dominant/mainstream culture to create new cultural arts policies to change the view from a Euro-Artistic criterion to a more alternative/sub-cultural artistic criterion. We also need to empower these artists in our communities and prepare them to assimilate and change our artistic mainstream culture. Cultural institutions are mostly not open. We need to inform our mainstream culture that art done by the people of color does not have to be an alternative art "Sub-culture or other art" and that this type of art is necessary to create a complete cultural community.

A possible approach would be to begin by working with artist organizations that are already formed to urge them to participate in policy discussions and development. There is a real advantage to working with organizations already formed. But, this does not preclude sponsoring forums and providing a place for artists to meet and discuss important issues.

An important component of this is public dissemination of information. We could start with public gatherings of artists such as the black arts festival that is now to be held on an annual basis in Atlanta, GA. We may also make information available at exhibitions, dance festivals, various artist conferences, etc. There are many venues of artist gatherings that provide opportunities for identifying and arranging to dialogue with artists and get them to engage in policy discussions.

Artist directories and artist registries are excellent resources. An example is the artist directory developed by the Association for Viet Arts. That organization has developed an artist registry. In addition, it actively seeks to engage artists in board meetings and retreats.

As we push ahead in dealing with artists and arts issues, we must have a clearly articulated purpose and we must get out of the mold and box of thinking of poverty. We must think in terms of abundance in this very rich country of ours. And art and artists are a major component of that abundance.

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7. FEDERAL INDIAN ART POLICIES

Convener: Rick Hill   Recorder: Rick Hernandez

Participants:
Victoria Bomberry - Neshkinukat, Theresa Harlan - California Arts Council, Mayumi Tsutakawa - Washington State Arts Commission, Ricardo Hernandez - Texas Commission on the Arts

I. CURRENT FEDERAL RESOURCES & AGENCIES POLICY:
1) Preservation of Old Art (Cultural Resources/Section 106 NHPA)
a. NTHP- National ___ Heritage & Preservation
b. NPS - National Park Service
c. BLM - Bureau of Land Management
d. BIA - Bureau of Indian Affairs
e. NAGPRA - Native American Groves Protection & Repatriation Act

2) Arts Promotion (Arts & Crafts Act 1990)
a. 3 Museums
b. Artists Promotion
c. IACB - Indian Arts & Crafts Board
d. USIA (International) - United States Information Agency

3) Arts Education a. IAIA - Institute of American Indian Arts b. BIA - Bureau of Indian Affairs c. Tribal Colleges & Native Hawaiian Institute d. ANA - Administration for Native Americans 4) Cultural Enrichment (same as 3)
5) Economic Development
a. IACB - Cherokee
b. Tipi Shop - contractor for IACB
c. Cottage Arts

6) Language Arts (unfunded) a. Tribal Museum Endowment Fund
7) Advocacy

II. TRIBAL RESPONSE
1) Arts - Tourism
a. Refresh our own agenda

2) Public Perception
a. Gaming
b. Warm Springs Oregon or other Model
I. 1% profits for the arts at some casinos

II. case study
III. $ 1 billion industry
3) Economic Development Opportunities
4) Native Arts Service Organizations - Co-Ops/ Basket Weaving Associations e.g. CA Indian Basket Weavers Association
a. Need to collaborate

III. POW WOW CULTURE
1) Economic Development
2) Cultural Impact
3) Artistic Rip offs
4) Sampling of Pow Wows Survey of commercial and community-based casinos to look at income generation for Native artists rather than vendor sales

IV. ARTS FESTIVAL
1) Competition
2) New Wealth
3) Caters to stereotypes & white patronag
4) K'san Village is a good model

V. ART GALLERIES 1) Native Run
a. Sacred Circle (GAC - Seattle)
b. AICH Gallery ( NYC)
c. Three Rivers Gallery (Minnesota)

2) Mainstream Institutions (Need for Curatorial Dialogue)
a. NMAI (NYC) - National Museum of the American
Indian b. Heard Museum (Phoenix)
c. IACB Museums
d. Gilcrease (Oklahoma)
e. Portland Arts Museum (Oregon)
3) Tribal Museums

VI. WHAT IS THE STATE OF NATIVE ARTS ORGANZATIONS
1) ATLATL - Service
2) NAASA - Scholars - Native American Art Studies Association
3) Gorman Museum - UC Davis
4) Native Circle (Artist Run - Minnesota)
5) Northern Plains - South Dakota
6) Neshkinukot (CA Native Arts Network)

VII. CO-OPS & CRAFT ASSOCIATION
VIII.INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES
a. Mexico, Australia, New Zealand & Europe

NEEDS
I. SURVEY THE FIELD
a. Presenting
b. Education
c. Market
d. Advocacy

II. BETTER UNDERSTAND
a. Federal Policies
b. Handbook on Policies and Practices
c. Share with state arts agencies, tribes organizations and artists
d. Native Arts Policies

II. INCREASE NETWORKING
a. Galleries
b. Curators
c. Artists
d. Agencies
e. Other Artist

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that TAAC assist in the understanding, refining and development of national and local policy concerning Native American Arts and Artists by conducting surveys, continuing to convene gatherings and disseminating information.

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8. TAAC AS ASSOCIATION OF SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

Convener: Keryl McCord    Recorder: Gayle Waden

Participants:
Sylvia Lowe, John Paul, Victoria Moreland, Jenjoy Roybal, Cathy Silvern, Jennifer Armstrong, E'Vonne Coleman, Lori Robishaw, Lucero Arellano, Jesse Moreles, Abel Lopez, Eden Hansen, Deborah Bunting, Angela Johnson, Dianne Y. Green

TAAC as convener

Staff/board to include Blacks/Asians/Latino's in Foundations

Members to include national organizations not necessarily arts institutions--NAACP, LULAC, Urban League

Determine board-meeting schedules of arts organizations

Include philanthropy groups - what are they doing already?

1st step - talk to executive director's at arts service organizations Black Theater Network, African-American Museum Association, International Association of Black in Dance, National Association of Latino Arts & Culture, Association of Hispanic Arts, ATLATL, Network of Cultural Centers of Color.

What does TAAC bring to the table? Cultural policy piece

What do other organizations bring to the table?

Use expertise of activism and leadership of national organizations

Build trust with other cultural arts groups and find common ground

Purpose of Convening

Come together to address the tensions that have been created by media among growing populations

How does the artistic expression address the issue? Create a cultural policy
Strategies

Spread the concept of getting off the bus.

Participate in other conferences to spread the word about TAAC.

List state arts agencies and expose their policies and outcomes.

Becoming arts advocates.

Confronting National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and councils about policies.

Other organizations to convene

People of color caucuses within other organizations

National Performance Network

TAAC must be thoughtful about its structure, process and practice

Getting off the Bus - What does it mean?-TAAC

Resolution confronting the policies and processes that have dismissed people of color.

Affirm the cultural policy statement of AGIA-conform it to TAAC specifics

"The right to one's culture is a basic human right. Therefore, we believe that cultural expression through the arts is a basic human right. Without adequate access to resources for cultural expression one is denied this most basic human right. Further, we believe that cultural equity is the only fair and just assurance that all people receive adequate resources to create, promote, and protect their right to free cultural and artistic expression." United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as adopted by AGIA in 2000
Change "receive" to "obtain".

Definition of cultural equity.

TAAC will define "fair". To be changed to meet TAAC's needs.

Why should organizations participate

Do you think your organizations are being overlooked?

Meaningful policy changes have not occurred.

Lack representation in decision-making positions.

Lack equitable support from public agencies.

Lack accountability of people of color in decision-making positions.

Re-direct the discussion off changing demographics.

Change internal values of institutions in communities of color.

Mobilize communities to become more responsible and pro-active in addressing these issue: advocacy, philanthropy and civic participation.

To make policy recommendations and monitor progress annually.

The power of a common goal of this group of organizations

Make sure TAAC's house is in order

Earned income development

TAAC merchandise - commission artists - catalog
     Pin
     Music

Bring financial people to the table to look at financial structures that are broad and that would benefit TAAC.

Research models
Hip Hop - Chuck D
Russell Simmons
Stan Lathan
Roberta Uno - Ford
Butch Steward - Island Records

Look at business models - Alliance, Association

Action Items:

E'vonne Coleman will share list of arts organizations to contact about membership with Keryl.

Sylvia to hook up a "Xanga" to post and read information from TAAC's website

Victoria will check out Zoomerang as way to gather information

Jenjoy and Lori to do research of cultural service organizations to approach for membership.

Abel will send information to Keryl re: Pittsburgh gathering

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9. SHOULD I BE INDENTIFIED AS AN ARTIST OF COLOR?

Participants:
Terry Acebo Davis, Northside Intergenerational Ctr/Asian American Womens Artists Association/Filipino Youth Coalition, San Jose, CA. Sreekala Sripathy, Abhinaya Dance Company, San Jose, CA Sylvia Lowe, Chinese Cultural Center, San Jose, CA Theresa Harlan, California Arts Council, Sacramento, CA Veronica Enriquez, Cultural Worker, National City, CA Papo de Asis, Filipino American Arts/Filipino Artists Network Los Angeles, CA Cheryl Platon, Northside Intergenerational Ctr/Filipino Youth Coalition, San Jose, CA

OUR BRAINSTORM:

NOMENCLATURE-History of our Names, even our nicknames:

Ancestral names

Empowerment from knowing the meaning of your name

Our identity can be defined through our name

Color and Race are constructs. Is this the best method of identifying self?

Are we responding to current modes of thinking that are not our choices?

Constructs should be world views

Identify context through our conduct

Changing world view-evolution

EDUCATION IS VITAL

How do you define Artist? Everyone is an artist - farmers, mothers, and janitors.

An Artist uses all their creative energy. If you paint a landscape because someone asks you to, is it your creative expression?

"Self -expression is the product of all my experiences...expressions of energy"

VALUES "of an artist" are part of traditional cultures.

We must invoke our ancestral spirits for generations to come

Art affects everything e.g. economics, song, dance, life.

Society's ruling class (the kings), are served by the Artist (feudal/guild system), this is still perpetuated in contemporary society.

"Our communities should reclaim our ARTS"

"Art is political, cultural, community"

Traditional vs. contemporary ARTS

Forms vs Essences of Art

Affects all native backgrounds/ethnicities

We've been told to Westernize our art form to fit in with Modern American (White) culture

WE MUST RECLAIM our ART FORMS!

Institutions are still predominantly "White" in their mindsets Some white folk are still "honest"

As ethnic people we must be advocates to one another when you stand in front of any institution.

Go back to your native country, your roots to find your soul!

ESSENCE: History, Values, Traditions, Rituals

RESPECT!!! Honoring our Ancestral communities.

ENTITLEMENT to our cultures.

"Maybe its not really about color, as people of "color" we know it's about being human beings. It's about an individual's contributions to their community...Still there's INSTITUTIONAL RACISM..."

"Don't go in like a white-anthro-tourist!"

There are the "Old people" and then there are the "Elders" in our ethnic communities.

Our "Oral Histories" can be painful, and often go unsaid. They (our parents, uncles, aunties, godparents) only wanted to protect us from their experiences.

As members of ethnic communities our FAMILIES must embrace all tribes!

"ART IS LIFE... ART IS OUR EXISTENCE!"

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10. Connecting the Dots

Conveners: Jessica White & Cathy Silvern

Participants:
Shirley Sneve , Veronica (bumblebee)

The group was not large enough nor did it have enough experience to answer these questions, but the questions need to be asked, in the hope that others with more experience/expertise could share their knowledge and/or research undertaken. Questions and issues:

1) How do we make connections with and among participants in this conference?

a) receive roster of participants (ideally, in advance of the conference), including name of participants, organization, brief description of artistic mission/org purpose, website if any and all contact information (phone, address, email, etc.)
b) individuals take responsibility for making connections to those organizations of interest for networking purposes, professional development, etc.
c) TAAC serves as a clearinghouse/central database for gathering this kind of information so that participants can find each other easily through common interest, i.e. through TAAC.
2) Who is centrally affecting arts policy - what's working and why? What resources does it take to successfully influent arts policy? What models exist that can be replicated and/or adapted from community to community? How can we best share this information with each other?

3) Why put energies into formulating national or even state-wide/regional policy if the individual can't control that policy? What happens in the community or on the local, grass roots level, can be affected by the local participants, but can national (state/regional) policy really be affected, influenced, changed by those of us "here on the ground?" Is there a cost analysis of any kind that shows the relationship between the amount of energy input vs. reward/solutions that can be felt at the local level?

a) being a voice for under-represented communities/people of color is one reason to participate beyond the local level
b) sometimes, the successes at the local level can influence what happens in the region/state wide/national level
c) community cultural planning can be a source of a model for success...if a group of interested citizens can come together with city leadership, funders, etc. to discuss as a community what the goals/needs/direction can and should be - it can work and does work. One of the difficulties is that when city leadership changes (i.e. election of new city officials), the priorities change and may not necessarily be in line with the planning process that has transpired.

4) Policy makers at the state/national level need to do a better job of studying, being more aware of how policies they implement will affect people on the local level before approving/implementing those policies.

5) Historically, cultural policy-makers have not addressed issues related to human resource management in the arts - this is a leadership/management issue that needs to be addressed at all levels. Employee recruitment and retention is critical but rarely recognized as being important or economical. What connections can be made to help arts organizations increase the effectiveness of employees and reward them for jobs well done and how do we make this a priority? Is it a policy that the arts are/must remain a poverty industry (i.e. low wages, benefits)? Why does this model continue?

6) How can we connect studies of non profits in general with studies of arts/cultural organizations in specific, on issues of who our leaders are (ethnically speaking), who makes up our staff, what salaries are being paid for what levels of work, is there gender equity in arts management salaries, is there a glass ceiling in arts management (i.e. larger budget organizations/ institutions are generally led by white males, staffed by mostly white females at the middle/lower management levels)? And, based on the study results, can new cultural policies be developed at the national/state/ regional/local levels to improve problem areas?

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11. KEEPER OF THE $/CO-OPTED ARTS ADMINISTRATORS

Conveners: Gayle Waden Sheila Austin

Participants:
Victoria Moreland, Bob Lynch, Eden Hansen, Shirley Sneve, Sheila Austin, Betty Switzer, Yolanda Alameda, Alice E. Valdez, Lisa Chang, Doreen Mitchum

NOTES:
Concern that sometimes constituents think people of color working in arts organization are being co-opted.

Concern that people of color are not at the policy decision-making table to make sure there is equity.

Expectations of communities of color that when a person of color gets in there, they will deliver better equity in distribution of funding.

What does equitable mean? Sometimes one smaller organization is a more worthy recipient than a big, large-staff operation.

Look at rules that prohibit equity.

For example, there are arts councils or few 501 (c) 3's on reservations, but funding rules may require such mechanisms.

So in one case the funder went around the rules funding churches and schools and NOT requiring 501 (c) 3s. Cooperatives are an example of a different structure to get money to many smaller organizations.

Arts Extension Service has some tools on its website (www.umass.edu/aes) - information on Learning Partnerships Collaboration Toolkit.

How do we learn about people who we are supposed to serve but know nothing about?

Seattle Museum is doing a survey to measure change in diversity and perception of diversity in:

Audience

Programs

Board

Staff

Ask, "How has this organization changed how you view and participate in art?"

In one city assistance scholarships were established for organizations of color for learning opportunities.

Needs to be constant advocacy and vigilance - and taking stands.

Corporations are getting a new generation of staff of color who are not as knowledgeable about the struggle and pioneering efforts and needs.

Observation of the group is when you get people (new staff) involved and to see what is going on, they often get excited about what they learn about.

Another important part of the process is to find ways to get decision makers out in the field.

Making the pot of money, the categories, equitable needs to be a key goal.

Beware of funding sources that use people of color to create the appearance of equity but are really using it as a way to divide up the pot inequitably. Collective action can affect the policy level.

Major organizations getting all the money won't change until there is an overall values change.

Make links to funders that show personal connections - that you shop with them, patronize them, and are their customers and in return they have an obligation to you.

Go up the power chain until you can find the decision maker who can help.

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12. INCREASING ARTS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY AT THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVEL.

Conveners: Ellissa Collier, Americans for the Arts - Barbara Buck, D.M.A. Kentucky State University

Participants:
Cheryl Platon, Northside Community Center Cathy Silvern, Carnegie Mellon University Ronnie Jessie, City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs Angela Johnson, Angela Johnson Consulting Betty Garza, Mariachi San Jose Pedro Perez, Ballet Folklorico Alegre Mai Bui, Association for Viet Arts

"How do we make the connection with students and get them involved in the arts as advocates?"
In this discussion we talked about the challenges of and solutions for encouraging students to get involved in the arts at the local, state and national level. Education: The importance of creating awareness before creating advocates. By providing resources for understanding the state of the arts and encouraging involvement early on, we are really creating life-long art and culture appreciators. These are our future board members and colleagues! Solutions:

1. Increasing cross-disciplinary studies/ Ethnic studies programs. Learning to appreciate the arts from a non-western approach.

2. Creating mentoring/networking opportunities/encouraging intergenerational dialogue. Nurturing is needed from veteran/older artists. Young and older artists must work together.

3. Ensuring that community arts organizations partner with the colleges and universities in their communities. Encouraging service-learning projects/giving back to our community.

4. Making classes that deal with cultural diversity a requirement for graduation.

5. Increasing students understanding of public policy, funding, and cultural policy by encouraging involvement with Local and State Arts Agencies.

6. Providing monetary support/establishing scholarships for students (with TAAC support).

Advocacy: Collective participation CAN effect change!

1. Recognizing and targeting our future leaders: MFA, Arts Administration, Film, Theatre, Music, Community Development, Ethnic Studies, Sociology and Education students, etc.

2. Creating college internship programs with National organizations like Americans for the Arts and TAAC.

3. Encouraging TAAC to think of students as potential contributors. Leaders from TAAC should visit colleges and universities and talk about how cuts in funding affect students and their communities and offer solutions.

4. Creating forums led by youth (under guidance of more experienced arts leaders) in conjunction with arts committees and arts organizations.

5. Establishing a listserv/job bank and publicizing jobs and internships on TAAC's website.

6. Building and expanding our network by forming partnerships between colleges (for example HBCUs)

7. Encouraging students to work in the community as part of their graduate and undergraduate study. Start with your nearest resources to engage students immediately. (Example from Carnegie Mellon)

Ideas for Future Discussion: How do we...

Measure our success (Is it through membership?)

Secure Funding/Human Resources (especially at a time of crisis)

Solve the problem of talented youth majoring in more "practical" disciplines

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13. ETHNIC ORGANIZATIONS, SHOULD THEY EXIST OR NOT EXIST?

Convener: Leslie Ito

Participants:
Betty Garza, Adrianne Devereux, John Seto, Lawrence Thoo, Ann Woo, Wun Mark - C.O.A., Lori Robishaw, Sreekala Sripathy, Cheryl Platen, Eric Hayashi, Victoria Moreland, Doreen Mitchum, Papo De As, Alice E. Valdez - MECA/Houston, Lucero Arellano, Mayumi Tsu Takawa, Millie Lee, Victoria Bomberry, Mai Bui, Sylvia Lowe, Shirley Sneve

Case study: An Asian American filmmaker pulls his film from an ethnic specific film festival that has been supporting his work since the beginning of his career, in order to screen at a mainstream festival who demanded a Southern CA premier.

Must cultivate community minded artists.

Must recognize competition in the field and learn how to work together- develop a professional code of ethics-presenters use a 40 mile rule.

This question speaks to the organization's mission; has it changed? Must pay attention to mission, long range vision and values?

This questions affects certain disciplines more than others: theaters, presenters, media etc.

Make specifications in a contract to make sure artists cannot pull out.

Ethnic organizations as incubators of talent, helping to cultivate new artists.

Once they have "made it" it's their turn to give back to these organizations that helped build their careers-David Henry Hwang is a great model for this.

In an ideal world, yes ethnic organization should exist to not exist, but we're not even close to that.

Ethnic art is popular, but who is going to support the work when we're not the flavor of the month? Not the mainstream organizations!

We must cultivate artists with deep community values so that they'll give back once they've become successful. This is value generational?

Sometimes connecting back with artists that we've helped is an issues of practicality. We do not have the resources to continue these relationships. We need to be more like universities and their alumnae association model. This is an important investment to make.

Setting expectations with the artists as far as continuing the relationship is critical.

Some artists like August Wilson will bring their crews up with them. We need more artists like this!

Even if it was a perfect world and opportunities were there for our artists, it wouldn't mean becoming extinct. It would mean that we can focus on the art, what we're passionate about and we can spend less time on the struggle, the fight. So no, we do not exist to not exist!

Wonder if this mentality of existing to not exist is a relic of the 70's? The arts organizations that grew out of the various social movements continue to have this struggle mentality-founded in response to lack of access and recognition. It would be interesting to see if organizations that were born in the 80/90's have the same of different mentality.

How about content…is content changing with this new generation? Yes, more fusion arts, globalization of culture. This has been a rapid change. There is no particular connection between who's doing the art form and the actual art form (i.e. Asian Hip Hop; Korean opera singers singing in Italian). We are also morphing forms here in America-women playing taiko and in Mariachi . How are we responding to these changes?

We are also affected by gentrification and how that changes the communities that we work with. The fluidity that we endure also affects our mission.

Funders are not changing as quickly as the field and the art form is.

Where is the new generation of funders? They're investing in different ways- wanting more involvement.

Sometimes we forget that the art of running an organization is about building relationships.

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14. Session Name: Addressing the Tension Among Ethnic Groups

Convener: Gayle Waden

Participants: Abel Lopez, Keryl McCord

Challenges faced by Latino organizations are the same as those faced by African American organizations. Same problems with funders, media and entry into the rooms of power.

Change the perception of "dominant culture" Support innovative/creative approaches to problem-solving, resist taking on the characteristics of the oppressor.

More in common than not -diminish the differences - acknowledge similar interests

Don't buy into the hype of divisiveness as a result of the new census numbers.

Not accepting the social/political concept of race

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15. Forming a Collective Voice for Funders

Convener: Maria Dadgar, Atlatl-Native Arts Network

Participants: Maria Dadgar

Goal:
The overall goal of this workshop was to identify key categories that arts organizations need financial support to establish and/or maintain.

This list of categories was derived from a previous limited survey conducted by Atlatl, Inc., in 1998:

1) Technical assistance & training for staff

2) Technical assistance & training for constituents

3) General Operating (unrestricted) funds

4) Capacity building (membership development, marketing assistance, direct mail campaign assistance, board development)

5) Technology development (web site, video/digital documentation procedures, eCommerce)

6) Programs & mission expansion

Objective:
Conduct a national needs assessment survey to obtain specifics of funding needs. The survey would be designed & executed by an "organization of color". The results would be formatted into a final report that would be distributed to funders and survey participants. Results:
Develop clearly defined funding categories so that funders could design funding strategies and initiatives to address specific areas of need

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16. BRINGING CREATIVE EXPRESSION (ARTS) BACK TO THE CENTER

Convener: Theresa Harlan

Participants:
Terry Acebo Davis, John Seto - California Arts Council, Washington State Arts Commission WESTAF San Jose Cantonese Opera, Quetzal Guerrero, Victoria Bomberry, Neshkinukat: California Native Artists Network

Children are losing part of their culture because they are 3rd generation... so involved kids are in mariachi groups.

Kids want to be part of the arts, arts are self-development, but parents can't always pay for fees/instruments. Money can be an obstacle.

As a child, expressed interest in arts-parents wanted focus on math and science and did not see arts as viable for the future. Need to place value on the arts for education of parents and teachers. Art is not separate. It's all connected within education. Art teaches skills & discipline, commitment and skills are applicable to all aspects of life. Strength of parents can carry a unified voice to demand/insert arts in the school.

We need to talk to people who have little understanding and value of the arts and its impact to turn this lack of support into full support and advocacy. America is a young country and secular state, its divorced from traditional cultures and religious & ritual meanings. Some cultural rituals have become more secularized, e.g. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and celebrations of Chinese dragon boats becoming an international sport. Within America is a melding of cultures...what mechanism is there for common experiences, universal rituals, rites of passage. Need networking between diverse cultures, e.g. Chinese and Latino celebrations and communities to build alliances and further cross-cultural understanding. People carry assumptions when looking at ethnic work and artists.

Immigrants are told to assimilate "whatever the hell that means" now acculturation is used over assimilation. Would like to see the City of San Jose host a world cultures festival, to educate and to show appreciation of diverse traditions and communities. Phoenix sponsored a festival of martial arts, which brought a multiplicity of cultures and cross-cultural participation: capoeira, tai kwan-do, etc Art is balance, essence of everything, humanity, architecture of our lives.

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17. HOW DO DIVERSE COMMUNITIES RESPOND TO THE NEA'S SHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE? AND HOW TO ADVOCATE IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES?

Convener: Pamela G. Holt

Participants:
John Seto, Leslie Ito, Adrianne Devereux, Mayumi Tsutakawa, Eric Hayashi, E'Vonne Coleman, Deborah Bunting, Dianne Y. Green, Keryl McCord, Abel Lopez, Victoria Bomberry, Millie Lee, Lori Robishaw, John Paul Batiste

Public relations value of the initiative can prove to be worthwhile

The selection of non-American, Euro-centric genre is offensive

Initiative was developed without input from field

Chairman Gioia stated at the AFTA convention that this initiative would appeal to all Americans

The politics of it all

It provides a great opportunity to educate and advocate for cultural diversity Can promote the breadth & wealth of diverse writers

"Access + Excellence"

Shakespeare was not "American"

Did not involve existing diverse representation of Shakespearean presentations.

What was the intent + the possible future intent if other disciplines were to replicate this "model"?

Directed to "American People"- are we not a part of America? Are we (artists) not taxpayers? We were completely dismissed.

How we respond is up to us-don't participate. We have been locked out of federal cultural funding anyway.

Use other mechanisms to affect change in policies-go straight to elected officials.

TAAC should request a meeting with Gioia

Request & Research

Study + research the status of participation of diverse organizations in NEA funding and in applying for funding (those that identify themselves as organizations of color not those projects that reach communities of color)

NEA should develop an advisory committee-same request to Grant-makers in the Arts

Urge people to boycott the Shakespeare initiative: provide an alternative activity; appear on radio programs; make our voices heard.

Engage your elected officials about this concern-let them ask the questions. (Research)

Department of Education - "No Child Left Behind" - any opportunities?

What happens to our children happens to us?

TAAC should have a discussion:

What is the NEA position on Department of Education "Arts $"?

Is it more advantageous for $ to stay at Department of Education?

An alliance with state level arts education organizations should be evaluated.

Role of arts education partnership and the National Endowment of the Humanities should be considered.

VOTE

Alliances with regional arts service organizations - funding goes to regionals-structural impediments in regionals and role of State Arts Agencies (Research) in funding and support of diversity should be evaluated.

The requirements of board diversity for culturally specific organizations have been raised. (Assess the impact of board diversity on an organization's mission.)

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