Convenings

Past Learning Exchange Reports:
Seattle, May 3–5, 2002

Andrea Assaf
2002

Learning Exchanges
The ADI Lab encourages cultural organizations, artists and dialogue practitioners to experiment and test ideas and approaches to arts-based civic dialogue.   ADI Learning Exchanges are opportunities for Lab participants to come together periodically, to share and build knowledge that can help the projects meet their full potential for success.  Learning Exchanges encourage critical thinking about the philosophical and practical dimensions of arts-based civic dialogue projects, through peer feedback and exchange.  The intent of these convenings is to enable practitioners in various disciplines to inform each other about their work, explore common questions or problems, and draw on differing perspectives.  Exchanges occur as the projects are evolving, providing a forum for ideas to develop, as well as in-process analysis of principles and practices of arts-based civic dialogue work.  L.E.s range from 70-125 participants, including programmers and artistic directors, cultural organization leaders, community partners, artists, and dialogue specialists associated with Lab projects.  Although Learning Exchanges are geared to serve the interests of Lab participants, a small number of guest artists, curators, arts and cultural institution leaders, critics, scholars, and civic dialogue leaders are invited to diversify perspectives and enrich discussion.  It is hoped that Learning Exchanges promote a sense of community, cumulative learning, and collective growth.  ADI encourages participants to maintain contact in-between Exchanges and to extend their learning to the broader field.

Documentation
ADI reviews notes from all Learning Exchange sessions to identify key findings, and  questions for further discussion or investigation, for reporting purposes.  A by-product of that process is a summary document compiled, organized, and carefully edited by ADI project associate Andrea Assaf.   For participants in the Exchange and other interested readers, this summary captures the key points raised in presentations and the substance of discussion around those key points. This is not a transcript. Material is arranged under clear headings that allow readers to browse or jump to the topics in which they're interested.  Session formats vary.  Some material has been omitted to respect confidentiality. The editor has tried to represent all voices with accuracy but was dependent on the quality of notes from each session.

The Seattle program:  The Henry Art Gallery graciously hosted this convening in conjunction with its exhibition, Gene(sis): Contemporary Art Explores Human Genomics, which explores the human genome project and related bioethical issues through a range of arts-based civic dialogue activities.  Participants drew upon the Henry’s exhibition and a Town Hall dialogue forum with geneticists Leroy Hood and Lee Hartwell as exciting programs from which to learn.  This Learning Exchange also had a thematic focus on Institutional Issues in doing arts-based civic dialogue.  Participants examined programming, organizational issues and opportunities they are encountering through their Lab projects via case studies and interactive sessions.  Peer exchange around the range of Lab projects represented focused on:

  • Balance of art and dialogue goals within institutions whose primary mission is cultural
  • Dynamics of partnerships--negotiating and balancing goals, issues of ownership, imbalances of power
  • Internal structures, board and staff leadership buy in, individual versus organizational commitment
  • Perceptions and expectations of cultural organizations as they enter the realm of civic issues by the public, the media, civic leaders and institutions, and audiences

Contents

  1. Case Study Sessions
    1. Perseverance Theatre, Moby Dick
    2. The Jewish Museum, Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art
    3. Hawai’i Alliance for Arts Education, King Kamehameha I Statue Restoration
  2. Topic Sessions:  Institutional Issues
    1. Internal Capacity / External Perceptions:  Institutional Norms and Staffing, Roles, & Structure; Mission / Philosophy; Civic Dialogue Capacity & External Expertise; Open Discussion
    2. Partnership / Ownership:  negotiating, balancing goals, power, and ownership of knowledge or expertise
  3. Henry Art Gallery Debriefs
    1. Liz Lerman:  Movement-based Dialogue
    2. Visual Thinking Strategy
    3. Dialogic Art Model
    4. Report-backs and Discussion
  4. Breaking Conventions: Discussion Groups
    1. Town Hall Forum
    2. On-line Dialogue
    3. Performing Arts and Dialogue
    4. Visual Arts
    5. Interdisciplinary
  5. Closing:  Reflections on the Learning Exchange