Partners in Arts Participation
ACHF Arts Access
Partnerships are developed between social service organizations and arts organizations to better serve underserved communities. More Minnesotans are able to participate in the arts. Social or human service organizations use arts to help achieve their service goals. Perceived or real barriers to participation are addressed. Through a combination of networking, advertising, and forging partnerships with local businesses, we hope to reach out to three distinct groups that have been previously underserved.
With CurbCulture, the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and the Pillsbury House + Theatre worked with three distinct groups which may experience barriers to participation in the arts and/or community-building. These groups were inner city, low income youth; neighborhood artists (new and established); and locally-owned businesses on Chicago Avenue. Over eighty neighborhood youth developed an exciting and innovative art exhibit that community members took pride in, thereby building perceived value for the young people by adults in the community. The twenty-one exhibiting artists ranged from internationally known artists to emerging, first time exhibitors. Eighteen business owners whom previously were not connected to either Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association or Pillsbury House became engaged in a formal arts partnership, inviting exhibition attendees to visit their locations. Businesses were given artist sandwich boards to keep, therefore becoming mini neighborhood galleries for the foreseeable future. Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and Pillsbury House have worked in this community for a combined 50+ years. From this wealth of experience and conversations with residents, we acknowledge the inadequate level of resources for youth, artists and businesses. CurbCulture invited three underserved groups to work together to create an art exhibit to reflect the uniqueness of the neighborhood. Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and Pillsbury House connections with members of these groups are enhanced. Furthermore, youth, artists and businesses established personal connections. Future communication, networking and projects will be easier. 2: Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and Pillsbury House partnered to bring three underserved communities together - these were middle school youth, artists from the Powderhorn Park and Central neighborhoods, and the eighteen locally owned small businesses. CurbCulture is a successful example of arts-based creative place-making that knitted community assets together to form this final exhibit. It required participation and buy in from all five constituents. This project solidified Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association and Pillsbury House’s partnership and formalized its relationship which has led to several significant developments, including: partnering and receiving a 2012 ArtsPlace grant for $250,000, developing ongoing project partnerships, and the continued inclusion of Powderhorn Park neighborhood artists Xavier Tavera and Peter Haakon Thompson, as artists directly involved in future Pillsbury House public art projects. Pillsbury House is an essential partner education in Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association activities such as the Powderhorn Art Fair, the Powderhorn Artist Mixers, graffiti prevention, abatement and, and several place-making projects. The 38th and Chicago Business Association was also a key partner in the project which is now a new resource for our Arts On Chicago/ArtPlace efforts to develop a Chicago Avenue Arts District.