Looked Better On My Blog Anyway

by:

Joe Patti

I will be back from vacation soon, I promise you!

In the meantime, have a gander back in time once more. In 2005, the Wallace Foundation commissioned a study which came out, “Gifts of the Muse – Reframing the Debate About the Benefits of the Arts” Artsjournal had a week long discussion about the study.

I made a comment on the discussion which I ended up reposting on my blog because HTML links were forbidden at the time. I have to say, I still like the idea I expressed at the end of the post about community arts groups cooperating on a shared showcase space.

Conversation During Controversy

by:

Joe Patti

I think I have re-linked to this story a number of times over the course of my blog, but Neill Archer Roan’s recounting of how the Oregon Bach Festival engaged their community in a conversation about the controversies surrounding a performance of Bach’s St. John’s Passion has always seemed to be a great example of what arts organizations can do at their best. Granted, it requires a whole lot of courage, especially in these days where social media can generate furor in a matter of moments. I fear the conversations wouldn’t have been so constructive had this happened this year.

Roan’s original post is regrettably no longer available, but I believe my post does a good job of relaying enough basic information to generate discussion within one’s organization.

The Horror, The Horror

by:

Joe Patti

I got a few good stories emailed to me when I posted my theatre horror stories back in 2005. I have had a few since then that I will have to share when I get back. In the meantime, read some of the oldies and goodies and feel free to share your stories either here on the site or by email.

Accessibility References

by:

Joe Patti

Always worth repeating, a few years ago I posted some reference materials about how to train staff and volunteers to interact with persons with disabilities. The post also included a link to the National Endowment for the Arts’ handbook on designing cultural facilities for accessibility.