Broadening Our Definition of Wealth (Formerly "Eating the Economic Orange")

I posted this in 2012, and it seems particularly relevant at this time, when so many people are obsessed enough with The Economy that they're willing to hand our country over to an immoral, unprincipled, and greedy fascist.

Leo Hwang-Carlos does a great job explaining why the economy is more than the numbers reported by economists. I was particularly impressed by his description of all the ways he participates in the economy, and wonder how young people in high school or college might be educated to think of different ways of making ends meet than simply using a paycheck to pay for goods and services. A more varied approach might free up time for creativity.

It also might remind us that defining our lives according to our bank account is ultimately bankrupt in itself. I'm not talking about living on the brink of disaster, but I am talking about other ways to live an abundant life. I wrote about this in Chapter 22 of Building a Sustainable Theater, borrowing many of the ideas from Shannon Hayes's fantastic book Redefining Rich.

The WAITlist

Traditional writers in the mainstream media (and, as I found out a while ago, many leaders of prominent arts organizations) see bloggers as, to quote Spiro Agnew (I can't believe I am quoting Spiro Agnew), "nattering nabobs of negativity" -- people with uniformed opinions, loud voices, and a free platform. As a long-time blogger myself, I not surprisingly don't see it that way. Nevertheless, I do find myself drawn to bloggers who make connections to other thinkers.

At one time, there was a badge that labeled blogs as (as I remember) "thinkers blog." I think you were nominated, and then could claim the badge. Theatre Ideas had such a badge, which is evidence that the moniker "thinker" was pretty loose. Nevertheless, the goal was worthy.

I'd like to replace my own blogroll with a more selective list of bloggers whose writings about theatre and the arts are thoughtful, well-read, articulate and broad (not that  my current blogroll lacks such bloggers). For a variety of reasons, over the last year or so I have lost track of what is happening in the arts blogging world and am no longer au courant, a dismal thing indeed for a blogger. So I need your help.

In the comments, I'd appreciate it if you would nominate blogs that you feel have the following characteristics for inclusion in this new blogroll, which I will call my WAITlist. The characteristics I am looking for are:

• Well-read: the blogger references the ideas of other thinkers, not only within the arts world but, even better, in other disciplines; 
• Articulate: the blogger writes well and communicates ideas clearly and with energy;
• Innovative: the blogger addresses issues in the arts with originality and a questioning mind that is willing to question conventional wisdom;
• Thoughtful: the blogger tends to consider issues fully and doesn't simply shoot from the hip.

Below are a few examples of bloggers of who I am aware that meet the criteria above -- I hope you'll add to my list:

• Diane Ragsdale at Jumper (http://www.artsjournal.com/jumper/): I became aware of Diane when she served as the facilitator for Rocco Landesman's now-infamous "supply and demand" comments at the Arena Stage convening I attended. I love her unflinching willingness to ask the scary question while drawing my attention to the ideas of other thinkers from a variety of fields. For instance, in a recent post she used, to great effect, the 1989 book Permanently Failing Organizations by Marshall W. Meyer and Lynne G. Zucker to discuss the way that non-profit organizations might be encouraged to "persist even though they are no longer achieving their goals."
• George Hunka at Superfluities Redux (http://www.superfluitiesredux.com/). George, a long-time blogger who was responsible for my having become a blogger myself (so blame him), has a taste in theatre that doesn't often match up with mine, but I always find his writing passionate and deeply knowledgeable. A recent post drove me to the dictionary to find out what this "pensum" is that has been laid upon me from birth. I must confess, however, that I remain unpersuaded by George's love of Howard Barker...
• Ian David Moss at Createquity (http://createquity.com/). Ian is a numbers guy, which I love even though it sometimes gives me a headache. (Actually, it makes me regret having taken formal logic instead of statistics for my undergraduate math requirement.) Sometimes, I wish for a few broad hacks by Ian at some sacred cows, but I forgive this because Ian has sifted through so many reports, summarizes them clearly, and provides links so I can investigate them more thoroughly myself. His writing is clear and passionate.

So there are three WAITlist bloggers. Who else should I be reading? Tell me in the comments.

NEW ADDITIONS

• Arlene Goldbard ( http://arlenegoldbard.com/blog/ ). Arlene is a major figure in the community arts development movement. Her blog is alternately personal and global in scope. The questions she asks, and the way that she asks them, encourages me to be more generous in my thoughts.

Double Edge Theatre -- Ashfield, MA

In a few weeks, I will be traveling to Ashfield, MA for a rural arts working group meeting at Double Edge Theatre. I am looking forward not only to the conversations, but to hearing how the artists who make up Double Edge approach the creation of performances within a rural context. Matthew Glassman, a member of the company, says in the video below that the general approach is that of a kibbutz; others might characterize it as a commune. What I see are people who have figured out a way to create art by sharing resources that would normally be paid separately by individual company members.

If Michael Kaiser was truly interested in new models, I suspect that Double Edge might present one possibility. While this approach is certainly not new in the sense of never before seen, it certainly presents a way of making theatre that is ensemble-based, ongoing, international in focus, mythic in subject matter, and rooted in values very different from the mainstream theatre community. It also occurs outside of a major metropolitan area. I am very much looking forward to learning more about them.

2012 Our Town Grants -- A Step Forward

I have finally had an opportunity to take a look at the NEA's announcement of the 2012 Our Town grants, and a quick overview makes me pleased. First of all, the press release very explicitly addresses the issue of population: "Forty-one of the 80 grants are going to communities with populations of less than 50,000 and five grants are made to communities with less than 1,000 residents (Teller, AK; Last Chance, CO; Star, NC; Uniontown, WA; Dufur, OR)." A quick visit to the Wikipedia pages for the five communities mentioned reveals that they all reside within small counties as well, and are not simply bedroom communities of metropolitan areas.

While I have not had an opportunity to analyze all of the data, I am heartened by not only the awards themselves, but also the awareness of the issue demonstrated in the press release, and I applaud Jason Schupbach, who oversees the Our Town project, and also Mr. Landesman whose leadership has led to such a shift in thinking. While it may be too much to ask for a similar distribution in all the NEA grants, this round of Our Town grants represents to my mind a step forward toward the NEA being truly a National Endowment for the Arts.

I am also very much behind in noting the announcement of a partnership between the NEA, the Department of Agriculture, the Project for Public Spaces, the Orton Family Foundation and the CommunityMatters Partnership in leading the Citizens Institute for Rural Design. I am very impressed with the NEA's pursuit of partnerships with other agencies and organizations as a way of increasing the amount of money going to the arts in this country without having to ask politicians to vote for it. Another such partnership is the ArtPlace initiative.

Over the years, and even recently, I have been grumping about the NEA's support for small and rural communities, so it is with high hopes that I applaud these recent developments as harbingers of a more decentralized and diverse arts scene here in the US.

Michael Maso Replies | TCG Circle

Michael Maso Replies | TCG Circle: "I don’t know why DR thought I was talking about her."

'via Blog this'

Stone Soup

From the opening pages of Robert Theobald's book Reworking Success: New Communities at the Millenium.  

 A stranger comes to a starving town,
 Promising to make stone soup.

 He finds some firewood,
 Uses his own pot,
 Puts water on to boil.  

 As the water heats,
 He wanders around,
 Selecting,
 Rejecting,
 Cleaning
 Stones.  

He adds them to the pot,
Carefully,
With strange muttered recipes.  

Intrigued,
The villagers gather round.
 This is the best entertainment
 Their village has had since the famine began.  

As they listen,
They hear the stranger admit
That while stone soup is good,
It does taste better with a pinch of salt.  

 One of the crazier people,
(Or is she actually more caring?)
Brings out some salt she has hoarded.  

The stranger
 Gets bolder,
Suggests carrots,
And potatoes,
And swedes,
And dried tomatoes
And herbs.
As each one is added,
Others remember their own stores
And bring them to the common stew.  

We have all made something out of nothing,
By remembering the old, old lesson,
That together we can create opportunities
Which escape us when we hide
Our resources and skills from others.  

It is time to build community again,
To share what we have,
And to experience miracles.  

It is time to live,
Expecting grace
And finding it,
Daily,
Even hourly,
In the midst
Of our harried lives.
            ----Robert Theobald
-----------------------------------------------------

This is what participatory arts are about. It isn't about having a chef bring a great meal from somewhere else for people to eat, but rather it is about contributing what you have, no matter how meager, to the common stew. I believe that most people have artistic salt, carrots, or potatoes to bring to the table and that when we encourage them to throw it in the pot, we "experience miracles." It is time to "make something out of nothing," to bring the arts back home.

Georgia Arts Network Info

Dear Georgia Arts Network attendees,

First of all, thank you so much for your enthusiastic welcome at the conference. I truly enjoyed spending a few days with you, and found your energy and commitment inspiring.

I was asked if I would supply some information about some of the books I mentioned in the talk I gave. Here are the ones I remember:

1. Clay Shirky -- Here Comes Everybody and Cognitive Surplus. These are the books that explore the idea that people want to consume, produce, and share. A good place to start is his speech at the 2008 Web 2.0 Expo, which is on YouTube in two parts: Part One and Part Two. I think he is right in so many ways, and that we are seeing a major shift to a more participatory orientation.

2. Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson on the "Homecoming Major." Wes Jackson first floated the idea of a "Major in Homecoming" in his book Becoming Native to This Place, and Wendell Berry elaborated in his book What Matters?

3. The local economy stuff I mentioned is by Michael Shuman: The Small-Mart Revolution and Going Local. For my money, I'd start with The Small-Mart Revolution, where TINA and LOIS is described.

4. You can find the Netflix + YouTube minus (Time = Money) business model fully described here, and the general URL for CRADLE is http://www.cradlearts.org. Click on blog for Bakersville updates. Update: The book I mentioned that talked about the Denmark health club is by Chris Anderson, and is called Free: The Future of a Radical Price.

5. If you would like to listen to the Studio 360 interview that caught Jim Coleman's attention, you can do so here.

6. Also, I mentioned a blog post that attracted Studio 360: "Off to See the Wizard."

If I referred to something else that isn't mentioned here, please leave a comment or email me at swalters@cradlearts.org. Also, if you are interested in receiving a newsletter from me (I haven't actually started writing one yet), please email me and I'll put you on a list.

Again, thank you for your support!