Week 1 - Conversation Pieces

The first key idea was the introduction of art and community engagement as "context providers" and not "content providers." The clarification that art collectives performing community engagement projects provide context, not content, perfectly explains the expectations of an engagement project. Many people expect art to give some form of entertainment, but community engagement provides awareness. The second key idea is that community engagement doesn't always target massive societal topics but community concerns upfront like the Routes project. Some may assume that art and community engagement are projects that target large society changes, which may be for some, but not all are massive fights. Like the Routes project that was described, the community bus drivers struggled between the religious groups of its community, and this project focused on helping their bus drivers. The third key idea is that community engagement creates art beyond gallery walls "into set of positive practices directed toward the world." To call these works as "a set of positive practices" was a new positive perspective of understanding the purposes of community engagement.

A few questions popped up while reading. First, the media was mentioned throughout the reading. In art and community engagement, how important is it to reach the media or to use the media? Second, some projects were similar to past projects of another community and time, like the Roof Is On Fire project. Did that project research or hear of the older similar projects and adopt the idea? Third, as one who isn't very engaged in any community, what brings people to join or make collectives and groups? Is it a common passion and concern?