Creative Civic Resolutions: 13 Ways to Better Support Local Artists in 2022
No biscuits or jam, but loads of free info below. Photo: Farmer’s Market site, New Albany, Mississippi.
Hey, can we start Community New Years Resolutions? Is that a thing? Can we make it a thing?
And more specifically, can those community resolutions be geared on your local art community? Sound good? You with me here? Great. :)
Behold. 13 Tips to Better Support Your Local Artists.
(I’ve made it easy for you. One for each month, plus a bonus.) And May I suggest you bringing a couple to your next civic meeting to brainstorm? Y’all can do a lot with a little focus.
Each of these greatest hits come straight from 13 community-driven Iowa artists and art leaders, all of whom I’ve interviewed in the For the Common Good blog series that I began in 2020. If you haven’t yet, bookmark this page so you can dive into each interview over and over. So much wisdom and expertise in each conversation. Also! Besides linking each artist to their individual interview, I’ve listed their website for you to visit. It goes without saying that supporting each of these individuals should be one of your 2022 Community Resolutions too. Follow them on social, buy their work, listen to their shows, attend their events.
If you’re not an Iowan, you’re not off the hook. Create a list of artists in your own community to champion this year.
Okay, ready?
1. “Don’t presume that artists of color or from traditionally marginalized populations are not all around you and highly skilled.
They’re there. Community leaders just need to get intentional about committing to the legwork of finding them, building relationships with them, and then being ready to compensate them fairly for their talent.“ - Akwi Nji, a Cameroonian American artist creating in words, performance, and visual art. Her work explores the intersectionality of race, gender, and concepts of geographical and spiritual home.” Learn more about Akwi’s upcoming projects at www.akwinji.com
Akwi Nji at Homebound, her solo exhibition at Commons Gallery, CSPS, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 2020. Photo credit: TINT.
Catherine Reinhart, 2020, Iowa Artist Fellow, Image credit: Karla Conrad, 2020.
2. “I have a heart to encourage my community to help artist mothers.
I have never not been an artist/mother, and it is extremely difficult to make work while raising good little humans…Sadly, most artist/mothers, and artist parents in general, do not have the capacity or support to make work about these experiences while in the thick of them. We don’t see these stories represented in contemporary art, in our galleries, or in our museums.” – Catherine Reinhart, interdisciplinary artist who makes fiber art, works on paper, and conducts socially engaged projects with abandoned textiles. Learn more about Catherine’s upcoming projects at www.catherinereinhart.com.
3. “Create opportunities and pathways for youth to be creative and fund the arts.
You have to put resources into it. Iowa specifically has a problem with spending money on the arts and that needs to change. Also, if you focus on creating opportunities for youth to be creative in order to be effective, other things in your community will positively change as a result.” – Jordan Brooks, illustrator, educator, muralist, and facilitator. Learn more about Jordan’s services and upcoming projects at www.knwslf.com.
Lesson Check-In is a free platform that supports students and families impacted by distance learning. On November 14, 2020, Jordan led a creative session with many of the students from Lesson Check-In.
He describes the experience: “We talked about our values, identity, and goals. Then we made self-portraits based on our conversation. Seeing the creativity, passion, and consciousness of these young people encouraged me and made me proud of the work of this organization.”
Photo courtesy of Amber Danielson.
4. “Connect, engage and amplify. Talk to your artists as often as you can and simply ask them what they need.
Artists have the unique ability to creatively do a lot, with little so often times we can support our artists by simply connecting them, sharing their work and providing resources. Find ways to connect them to the community and share their amazing work every chance you get. We can never highlight our local artists enough! Also, please pay them and pay them well. Just like any other professional in your community who are paid without hesitation, i.e., a masonry, architect, electrician, etc. Artists deserve and need to be paid for their talents and expertise, same as any other industry or skillset.“ – Amber Danielson, Marshall County Arts + Culture Alliance Director. Learn more about Marshall County’s projects and programs at www.artsandculturealliance.org.
5. “I would like to see communities taking more risks, especially with the younger generation of artists.
Firms hire interns because they find the value of the younger generation. And one of the things that I find so amazing about working with students is they challenge your thoughts. When you give them a voice in your process, they'll tell you things that are unrefined and very genuine. I think there's a myth, that in order for a person to be considered an artist, you have to have either a BFA or an MFA. What I've learned through my journey is that artists come in all shapes, sizes, colors, backgrounds, etc., and we should really enable that more and be able to empower that.” – Reinaldo Correa, public artist, designer, and architect. Follow Reinaldo’s projects at www.instagram.com/reinaldodavidcorrea.
Reinaldo Correa creating a model for Ripples, a public artwork in Johnston, Iowa, that is in collaboration with OPN Architects, Confluence. Hansen Company. Installed in 2021.
6. “Take a chance! If an artist tells you they’re going to do some amazing project and all you need to do is let them use a space, send out an email, or sign off on a grant and pass through the funds -- do it!
While you may not be able to manage the project for them, can you sit down for an hour and have a conversation? There is so much you know and take for granted that an artist is capable of but just might not know yet -- like what council person to talk to first, or what local business to ask to host their project. Or even just basic free resources like local community calendars.” – Kristin M Roach, artist, naturalist, and apothecary owner. Learn more about Kristin’s upcoming projects at kristinmroach.com.
Photo courtesy of Kristin M Roach.
7. “We need to find a way to let people be themselves and be welcome without bartering for acceptance through work.
Yes, the creative young people I see leaving are doing so for educational or work opportunities, but beneath that is the quiet knowledge that they can’t be who they are when the pressure to maintain the status quo weighs so heavy. It takes so much energy to publicly be yourself when you are perceived as different, and I don’t think it’s sustainable.” – Allison McGuire, Theatre-maker and educator. Learn more about Allison’s work at the George Daily Community Auditorium at georgedaily.org.
Allison with Gabe, a young theatre student, while filming Journey On!
8. Access to resources.
For example: access to professional development, space, regular conversations with like-minded people that you might find in networking events, fellowships and residencies, continuous civic collaborations with schools, chambers of commerce, and other aspects of the city council to ensure that the community sees how artists can play a role in creatively improving the quality of life in communities – especially socially speaking as artists inject vibrancy into the mundane. – Rami Mannan, artist and architect. Follow Rami’s projects at www.instagram.com/imar97.
Tea and Conversation, Ada Hayden Park, Ames, Iowa, 2020. Photo Courtesy Yusuf Hussein.
9. “Find a way to let people be who they are.
The environment is more important than the artists or the businesses. A good environment that supports all people will attract those who will help lift your community. A balanced ecosystem is necessary in all forms of life. Everything must be a counterweight to something else and too much of anything can be damaging to something else. For every liberal in politics, there ought to be a conservative. For every creative thinker, a practical one. - Andy McGuire, theatre-maker and educator. Learn more about Andy’s work at the George Daily Community Auditorium at georgedaily.org.
Andy in the wings, mid-production.
10. “We need to SHOW UP.
Every artist hosting any sort of event, from a gallery opening or poetry reading to a choral concert or play, is terrified that there will not be an audience. So, it’s our job to be there. Realistically, you can’t attend all of the amazing things that are happening in the community. (And the pandemic has made that harder, of course.) But, I’m here to encourage you to find a new event every so often and check it out. If you’re feeling extra brave, make a point of saying something to the artists. Tell them what you like about their work. Tell them how you heard about them. Tell them why you think what they are doing is important, or beautiful, or fun. Trust me, they won’t forget you.” – Jennifer Brockpahler, Ames Community Arts Council Director. Learn more about the projects and programs of the Ames ommunity Arts Council at www.amesart.org.
Photo courtesy of Jen Brockpahler.
11. “I pay close attention to the ratio of the artists I am supporting. I intentionally research unknown, grassroots, marginalized artists of color and gender, and artists who are living and working with disabilities.”
I buy local and I belong to a local print club. I collaborate on projects with local artists and I outsource to local artists. I do all these things first before going outside of the Des Moines community to the greater region or nationally. If anyone wants to practice any of these tips, I feel like that would be a rewarding thing. – Jill Wells, Artist and Advocate. Learn more about Jill’s upcoming projects at www.jillwellsart.com.
Artist Jill Wells presenting about the power of public art at TEDx Des Moines, May 2021. Watch her full talk here.
12. “Financial funding and lifting of the arts are definitely the two big steps a community can take if they value the arts and artists and want to see more vibrant arts in the community.”
I think that any community where art's able to thrive is a stronger and healthier community, in terms of finances and physical health studies and a lot of different metrics…I think that by providing space for people to have time or the space where they're able to really invest in themselves and create art, or even if they don’t identify as artists, that’s very rejuvenating. Especially if the city is directly providing that time or space, people can feel thankful to be able to be a part of that community. – Kaleb Stevens, artist and creative placemaker. Learn more about Kaleb’s upcoming projects at www.lonelygrave.com.
Kaleb showcasing a community mural made at Speak Your Peace in 2020. Photo credit: Kaleb Stevens.
13. Support community radio stations where you live to lift local artists’ voices. – Anna Jinja Kees, writer, advocate, and radio host.
Learn more about Heart 2 Heart Messages at www.heart2heartmessages.com.
Anna Jinja Kees, Heart2Heart Messages.
What other ways does your community support your local creatives? Let us learn from y’all! Leave a comment below.
Like learning about the ins and outs of being a community artist or a community arts leader? Check out interviews with artists Akwi Nji, Catherine Reinhart, Jordan Brooks, Reinaldo Correa, Kristin M Roach, Rami Mannan, Jill Wells, Kaleb Stevens , and Anna Jinja Kees, and interviews with community arts leaders Amber Danielson, Allison McGuire, Andy McGuire, and Jennifer Brockpahler.
Have a phenomenal community artist or an inspiring artist leader to suggest? Comment below or email jennifer@whatsgoodproject.com.
My go-to enthusiasm self-portrait. :)