Creative Communities Institute– ASU, Herberger Institute for Design & the Arts

Overview

<p>The Arizona Commission on the Arts and Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (ASU HIDA), with guidance from Southwest Folklife Alliance, are seeking applications from teams representing Arizona cities/towns and neighborhoods to participate in the inaugural AZ Creative Communities Institute.<br>The AZ Creative Communities Institute (AZ CCI) offers small teams, made up of diverse members of your community, a unique opportunity to explore the many ways creativity can be put to work for positive community impact.<br>AZ CCI teams will become members of an active learning network, with opportunities to learn from and with local and national experts, as well as peers from other Arizona cities/towns and neighborhoods. The AZ CCI will take place over 12 months, and will include: AZ CCI Learning Sessions: Four 2-day AZ CCI gatherings in the Phoenix area. Learning sessions are designed to provide each team with knowledge, skills, and tools to select and collaborate with an artist and implement creative community listening and engagement strategies. Embedded Artist Residency: A 5-month residency to take place in your community. The focus and format of each artist residency will be collaboratively-designed once selected artists join each team. Targeted Trainings: Up to 2 half-day site visits in AZ CCI team communities, as well as interactive web-based training or mentorship calls. Teams will have the opportunity to identify areas for customized training and learning to aid in goal implementation. Teams must be made up 3-4 committed individuals who love their communities, are interested in learning, and can dedicate themselves to the duration of the AZ CCI.</p> <p>Teams are expected to coordinate, facilitate, and promote the artist residency, site visits in the community, and other related public events. For this reason, it is critical that at least some team members possess the capacity to “authorize” such activities and can devote focused attention to the team’s work over the 12-month engagement. Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (ASU HIDA) is actively exploring initiatives that prototype strategies to cultivate, facilitate, measure, and visualize new intersections between the arts, the university, cities, and the larger community. The Herberger Institute’s participation in AZ Creative Communities is made possible by a grant from the Surdna Foundation’s Thriving Cultures program. Toward the achievement of their shared goals, the Arizona Commission on the Arts and ASU HIDA are collaborating on the<br>initial phase of AZ Creative Communities.</p>