Continental Harmony: A Study in Community-Based Arts

 
GENERAL

Research Abstract
Continental Harmony: A Study in Community-Based Arts
Continental Harmony is a new program in partnership with the National Endowment for the arts. It consists of 58 community-based commissions and residencies. The program's guiding principle is to “provide assistance and encouragement to local groups to define a theme which provides a meaningful way for the community to celebrate itself with music.” The community is able to chose the composer, and the result will be performed by local musicians. The American Composer's Forum plays the role of broker, facilitator and coach to this creative process. The Forum believes that local groups, whether urban or rural, have “both the aesthetic judgment and organizational ability to carry out such a partnership.”

The assessment of the program began with two basic questions:

  • Can programs be developed to create enduring links between artists and communities?
  • If so, what processes or practices contribute to or limit the creation of those links?

The evaluation yielded generally positive findings for the project, including positive results regarding community development, and awareness of the artistic process and artists themselves. The evaluators of Continental Harmony believe the project holds potential for organizational, artistic, and community development results beyond initial expectations. In addition, the lessons learned from this project can contribute to the emerging field of arts-based community development. The findings of this evaluation have relevance to funders, community hosts and artists.

Continental Harmony is a project completed in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, which placed composers in 58 communities across the . The evaluation of this project begins to prove the broad efficacy of arts-based community development. This study would be of interest to funders, communities, and artists.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Report
William T. Cleveland, Patricia A. Shifford
Continental Harmony: A Study in Community-based Arts
91
August, 2001
PUBLISHER DETAILS

American Composers Forum
332 Minnesota Street, Suite East 145
St. Paul
MN, 55101-1300
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