All this past week, I’ve been publishing writing by François Matarasso as part of his “virtual residency” on my blog. Yesterday we hosted a Zoom conversation with artists who place their gifts at the service of community. We put our heads together to talk about possible futures, knowing that while prediction is pointless, preparation and …
Welcome to the fifth and final installment of François Matarasso’s virtual residency on my blog. Following on my virtual residency with François earlier this month, I’m hosting our second residency. Between 31 May and 4 June 2020, François is publishing guest posts here, offering a selection of his past writings on art and community that …
Welcome to the third installment of François Matarasso’s virtual residency on my blog. Following on my virtual residency with François earlier this month, I’m hosting our second residency. Between 31 May and 4 June 2020, François is publishing guest posts here, offering a selection of his past writings on art and community that were originally …
Welcome to the second installment of Francois Matarasso’s virtual residency on my blog. Following on my virtual residency with Francois earlier this month, I’m hosting our second residency. Between 31 May and 4 June 2020, Francois is publishing guest posts here, offering a selection of his past writings on art and community that were originally …
Welcome to the first installment of Francois Matarasso’s virtual residency on my blog. Following on my virtual residency with Francois earlier this month, I’m hosting our second residency. Between today and 4 June 2020, Francois is publishing guest posts here, offering a selection of his past writings on art and community that were originally published …
Community-based arts work depends on close, collaborative relationships. Much of it relies on gathering in groups to take part in processes of self-discovery and to exercise the right to culture. It may be a path to personal development or political action. But whatever the intentions, community-based arts work braids pleasure and purpose to generate within …
A few days ago I wrote about the utter neglect of equity and wider awareness in arguments for their own funding being issued by “mainstream” arts advocates. “So what should they be saying and doing?” some readers asked. This is my answer. I’d be interested to know yours. First, a little context. There’s a persistent …
What if—as I’ve recently written—the current pandemic is a “hinge moment” in history, offering the possibility of a break from the past? What if the actions taken in response to the pandemic, especially the things that we have repeatedly been told are impossible (such as radically cutting emissions) demonstrate that another world is indeed possible? …
As a longtime cultural policy wonk, I’ve been perpetually frustrated at the persistence of American exceptionalism, our stubborn insistence on our own unique superiority, our stubborn refusal to look beyond our own borders for inspiring examples and new ways of seeing. This is usually accompanied by some type of smug assertion about the superiority of …
I’ve probably confessed before to both of the sins detailed in this essay, but if not, here they are: binge-watching and superstition. I do a lot of exercises every morning (possibly on account of superstition: I’m afraid that if I skip even a day, my back will seek revenge). I really like the benefits—but the …