Arts Access

Funding allowed Mizna to create a new program titled Silaat/Connections, and to hire a community liaison, Moheb Soliman, to build new and deepen existing relationships with Arab and Muslim communities in the Twin Cities. The community liaison met with leaders and community members of various community, religious, and arts organizations to begin discussing the important cultural issues for those groups. Those meetings led to community dialogs held to engage people in discussions around arts, culture, access, and barriers to arts participation. Each dialog was rooted in art, beginning with a reading or a performance, and with a diversity of panelists sharing their perspectives on the dialog themes. Dialog discussions were recorded and participants were surveyed as to the relevance of the experience. Survey responses helped shape the subsequent discussions and other community events. Writing workshop participants were surveyed to learn their impressions, experiences, and outcomes. 2: The barrier of cost was addressed in that the events supported by this Access grant were free with a suggested donation. For families with young children, Mizna held an Arabic Story Hour and did a book giveaway. Participants received a book and CD set from a Jordanian publisher of classic Arabic children's songs, beautifully illustrated. The barrier of geography was addressed by holding dialogs, writing workshops, and other events in central locations for the communities, including familiar spaces like library community rooms. All events included modest food and drink for participants free of charge. Also, for people who may have had the perceived barrier that the arts is not for them," this program has had an long-lasting result of engaging a number of people who have now returned for various Mizna Access events, and have submitted writing to our literary journal. When surveyed, participants conveyed strong satisfaction with the steps taken to address these barriers."