Art and Social Change - The Baltimore Bioneers Conference Does art have the power to effect social change? On Sunday, October 21st at the Baltimore Bioneers conference, moderator Nancy Haragan of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, will discuss this very question with panelists Peter Brunn of Art on Purpose, Gin Ferrara of Wide Angle Youth Media, Cheryl Goodman of Dance Baltimore and the Community Dance Project and Joan Weber of Baltimore Partners for Enhanced Learning.

An underlying theme of all these organizations is that art, in various forms, should be accessible to the masses. With visual arts classes cut from many public school curriculums and arts-related field trips rare, these community-based arts organization serve a growing need in the community. The children and adults that these programs reach are offered opportunities to learn painting, drawing, dance and performance skills that would normally be offered only to those able and willing to pay for instruction or students already attending institutions with art built into the curricula.

Participants in these programs develop new skills, build confidence, learn to work collaboratively and maybe most unique to art, learn a new way to express themselves through creativity. In a city that leads the nation in murders, it would be nice if more people could express their anger, rage and frustration in ways that avoided conflict.

A vital aspect of the plan to transform society through art needs to be addressed. The society facilitating this change also needs to support its converts. Baltimore City must do something to retain today’s children responding positively to this art intervention and help them thrive in their hometown as the artists of tomorrow. By establishing more working opportunities for artists in Baltimore, the city will retain and grow its arts population who can then promote further social change by inspiring a new generation of budding dancers and photographers. Baltimore’s arts institutions can attract and keep top talent and draw national crowds. The city will not simply be a relatively inexpensive training ground for emerging artists. Instead of artists biding their time to make the move to NY or LA, Baltimore will become an arts destination in and of itself.

During Sunday’s discussion, I seriously doubt anyone will dispute the fact that art can effect deep social change, but I would like to hear ideas on how we can keep this social change moving forward in a city that needs to step up its commitment to the arts.

For more information on Art and Social Change, Sunday, October 21st please log onto the Baltimore Bioneers website: www.cultivatingchange.org

Labels: Art, Baltimore City, social change

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