On September 12, 2013 Arts & Democracy Project joined with NOCD-NY to convene “Valuing the intersection between arts, culture, and community: An exchange of research and practice.” The exchange brought together members of the NOCD-NY working group and our allies with leading researchers including:

• Mindy Fullilove, Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Studies and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University
• Maria Rosario-Jackson, Senior Advisor, Kresge Foundation and professor, Arts management Program, Claremont Graduate University
• Susan Seifert, Director, Social Impact of the Arts Project (SIAP)
• Mark Stern, Kenneth L.M. Pray Professor of Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania
• Holly Sidford, President, Helicon Collaborative
• Alaka Wali, Curator of North American Anthropology and applied cultural research director, Field Museum of Natural History

We designed the exchange to build dialogue and understanding between researchers and practitioners in different fields and learn about what each other is thinking and doing. Our goal was to join together to demonstrate the essence and value of arts and culture in communities and for the city and to identify opportunities and strategies for becoming part of broader conversations about rebuilding, community revitalization, health, and the city’s political leadership transition. We hoped that the exchange would strengthen a network of allies who could continue to be resources for one another.

Through a sharing of presentations, questions, and dialogue we learned about the structural inequities in our cities and in philanthropy and the power of neighborhood cultural clusters, purposeful cross sector collaborations, and coming together to amplify our voice. Questions included terminology, definitions, and data, as well as strategies for addressing gentrification, incorporating new cultural practices, and shifting narratives to reconstruct policy.

AGENDA

12:30 – 1:45 LUNCH at Calliope, 84 East 4^th Street, Manhattan 

2:00 – 5:00 pm MEETING atDowntown Art Studio, 61 East 4th Street, Suite 7W

2:00-2:30 

Welcome and introductions 

2:30-2:45

Framing and intentions for the day including NOCD-NY overview

Clarifying questions

2:45-3:00

NOCD member stories

3:00-3:20

3 researcher presentations:  

3:20-3:30

Break

3:30-4:00

3 researcher presentations

Round robin of questions from the group

4:00-5:00

Researcher fishbowl discussion

Full group discussion

Identify next steps and how can we continue to be resources for one another 

5:00 – 6:30 RECEPTION at Downtown Art Studio