Bragging Rights

The results of our surveys are in.  It’s conclusive; we’re making very positive change in the community.  Some very encouraging high points:

Percentages of youth who, “because of this program” . . .

• Want to attend college “more” or “much more”:  78%
• Enjoy attending school “more” or “much more”: 58.5%
• Are successful in school “more” or “much more”:  56.1%
• Want to do better in school “more” or “much more”:  70.8%

Percentages of college students who, “because of this program” . . .

• Enjoy attending college “more” or “much more”: 72.7%
• Are successful in school “more” or “much more”: 69.1%
• Want to continue their education “more” or “much more”: 68.2%

DJ is our new artist of the month!!

DJ, in the 2007 Summer Arts Camp, looking a little hesitant to use the zip line. Later that day, he rocked it.

DJ has been part of the Telling It program (both in Kids and at COPE) since 2003. Nicknamed “Little Langston,” his commitment to writing and creative engagement is inspiring to his peers. As Telling It Coordinator, Deb Gordon Gurfinkel says “I’m seeing DJ blossom into a leader!”

Congratulations, DJ!

Artists Outnumber Atheletes in Beijing

BEIJING—For every athlete competing in the Olympic games in Beijing, there will be two artists performing or showing work, reports Bloomberg.

Reports artinfo.com. Not that China has upheld many of the tenets of community-based arts in these games, but it’s still good to see art appreciated. It’s too bad NBC doesn’t show us any of these. I think it would be fantastic to see how to two juxtapose on the world stage.

The move

The RCCTC office has moved to 18 Tyler in East Quad. A new phone number to boot! (I’ll change the banner soon) 734-763-2889.

Summer Camp 2008!

The pictures from SALI (Summer Arts and Leadership Institute) are finally here! I think we had a great time. Students came to UM campus, slept in the dorms, engaged in a hilarious campus wide scavenger hunt, and learned Shakespeare from Prof. Menedeloff, Commedia Dell Arte from Prof. Martin Walsh, Playwriting from Prof. Charles Gordon (OyamO), and Poetry from Prof. Ken Mikolowski. Later on, we saw Shakespeare in the Arb or went to an art film at the State Theater. And finally a talent show, where we shared what we learned. For me (Beca) the low-light of the camp continues to be when Deb’s car broke down, our food order was forgotten by the vendor, and then me losing the P-Card! Several months later I can look back at it and laugh.

Thanks so much to everyone involved! It was an uber success!

Street theater makes it to the big time

From the BBC (again) “Week in Pictures”

A mock croupier posing as World Trade Organisation director general Pascal Lamy takes part in a protest by Oxfam on the sidelines of trade talks at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.

Read more about Oxfam’s concerns over the WTO here.
Each actor is posing as a country’s minister to the WTO.  In tuxedos, they re-enact a poker game. The idea here is that the wealthy are gambling with the lives of the poor as if they were merely objects–chips–that represent only money.  We must regard this event as a “successful” endeavor in theater advocacy.  After all, they made it to the BBC!  So, what about this makes it effective?  Slow week in pictures?  Perhaps the scenic backdrop?  The association with Oxfam?  It’s worth learning more about.

The space in between

In the field of community-based arts, one is advised to experience it with a keen eye to the “spaces between”–that is to say (and this is emphasized in the class often) the meaning is just as much in the context as in the text.

I always knew John Cage was an influence, but couldn’t put my finger on it until NOW.

As the BBC writes:

A note from a piece by a US composer is to be played this weekend in a German town in what has been called the world’s slowest and longest concert. The church organ in Halberstadt will play the next – sixth – chord of John Cage’s As Slow As Possible work. The performance began in 2000 and is scheduled to last a total of 639 years.

We like John Cage. If you’re in Halberstadt, tell us how it goes this weekend.

I know! It’s a new website!

So, I’ve been informed that it is no longer 2001, and I have updated the website to look more futuristic! No robots yet, but we’ve definitely taken some cues from our friends at 826 Michigan.

I’m planning on blogging at least once a week–subjects will include: upcoming events, recent events, stuff we like, community-based arts news, and whatever else arises as we venture into our third year of existence.

Other exciting features include:

A “donate here” button-this might take a while to get up as we make our way through the U

Participant Resources Page-”What time was that meeting?” and other questions answered

How to Get Involved Page-Pretty self-splanatory

ARTIST OF THE MONTH!-Might you be an artist of the month? Participate in the RCCTC and you will be eligible! Are there prizes? No! But you and your work will be featured on our website! How do we choose? I don’t know yet! But stay tuned.

So, PLEASE, link to us! Let us FEED you! And COMMENT a lot so that it’ll look like someone is paying attention.