This report for A Blade of Grass (aBoGs) provided research to inform the organization’s next phase. As described on the organization’s website:
“The findings of this research offer supportive evidence for a number of aBoG’s working hypotheses about the state of socially engaged art, the communities of practitioners, and the landscapes in which they work. At an organizational level, the research found that socially engaged artists want aBoG to offer holistic resources, center artists in our program development and decision making, and maintain flexibility.
Like any research, this work is a reflection of a specific moment in time. The conversations that shaped this research took place between spring 2022 and summer 2023—as new phases of the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, widespread movements for racial justice continued, fundamental human rights were eroded, and climate disasters intensified. Now, as we share the findings during a time of escalating and compounding crises, the research underscores the need for aBoG to be nimble in responding to the real-world conditions faced by artists and communities in any given moment.
The research process also affirmed the need to move beyond established cultural centers and to consider the entirety of the country as we relaunch programming and work to support socially engaged art. ABoG is working to ensure that we reach less-resourced urban and rural communities in future programs—as described below. But finding alternative models for organizational resource development that are workable remains an elusive goal.
Finally, perhaps the most revelatory part of this research was the process itself. Convening artists, practitioners, community members, and other stakeholders was a joyful process and a deeply educational one. The connections and relationships that were built during those conversations will, we hope, bear fruit for the field, for aBoG, and for participants for years to come. We’ve appreciated the opportunity to listen and gather information throughout the process.”