Public Programs: The Participation Project

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Participation Project Timeline, continued

II. Phase Two:

Development of Community Team Summer ‘97-Winter ‘98
and Encuentros Spring 1998

The selected community arts organization (Self Help Graphics) invites another neighborhood-area organization (Proyecto Pastoral at the Dolores Mission in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles) to partner on the project. The partners consolidate a Core Leadership Team comprised of staff from Self Help, Proyecto, and the Getty Research Institute, along with two artists. * The team establishes an agenda that profiles needs for community interaction with an emphasis on intergenerational dialogue. Evaluation component of project (in collaboration with the Arts and Culture Indicators in Community Building Project of the Urban Institute) begins to be formulated in conjunction with community team process.

*Olivia Montes, Director Proyecto Pastoral at Dolores Mission; Tom�s Benitez, Director Self Help Graphics/Writer; Josephine Ramirez, Project Associate Getty Research Institute; Felicia Montes, Self-Help Graphics/Artist, Jose Azul Cortes, Proyecto Pastoral at Dolores Mission/Artist; Christina Miguel-Mullen, Getty Research Institute/Artist, Chaz Bojorquez, Artist/Consultant; and Alma Lopez, Artist/Consultant.

February 14 Dr. Robert Putnam, Director of The Saguaro Seminar and Professor at Harvard University lectures at the Getty Research Institute on his research regarding social capital and civic engagement. Tomas Benitez of Self Help Graphics, Maria-Rosario Jackson of the Urban Institute and Josephine Ramirez of the Getty Research Institute give a brief presentation on The Participation Project to Dr. Putnam and the Saguaro Seminar during their meeting at the Research Institute.

On April 29, May 14, and June 11, focus group-style gatherings (called Encuentros or "encounters") take place in host locations in the project area. The Core Leadership Team creates a specific agenda and format to elicit an intergenerational dialogue between and among artists and activists.

"What does it take to keep you going/keeps you motivated? What motivates you to do your work – need for collective expression? Individual expression? social change? the beauty or depth of the product?"

"What/who validates your work -- Other artists? mainstream venues of validation, i.e., museums, theatre, funders? Community? -- and how is it validated -- Awards? Sales? Exposure? Individual feedback?"

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The Participation Project is added as a case study to the Urban Institute/Rockefeller Foundation’s Arts and Culture Indicators in Community Building Project.

March 26 Slide Lecture and Discussion with artist Rirkrit Tiravanija at Getty Research Institute Lecture Hall/Getty Center. This lecture entitled, "New Generation Performance, Dialogue, Participation: The Art of Rirkrit Tiravanija," introduces local community artists, students and Getty Center Audiences to his performance art; a vehicle for community collaboration and public participation.

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