W3. A New Approach to Collaborative System Change
Track
Collaborating for greater impact
Session Designer
Richard Evans, EmcArts Inc.
Session Description
Traditional approaches to civic problem solving have not increased the pace of social progress and often reinforce existing power dynamics. Communities need unconventional approaches that bring multiple viewpoints together to discover and develop new ways to intervene systematically, and grantmakers need to know how to support these approaches. In 2015, representatives from city agencies, cultural organizations, nonprofit service providers, artists and business leadersin two cities — Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Providence, Rhode Island — began piloting the Community Innovation Lab framework to help solve systemic challenges around economic inequality and community well-being. One novel feature of the labs is the integration of artists and artistic processes into the change methodologies as a unique way to reframe challenges and explore new thinking. This workshop introduces the five stages of the lab framework and offers a deeper dive into the first stage — a process to recruit and nurture local champions. You will use a framework to identify and explore complex challenges, complete a hands-on activity that demonstrates how to identify champions, and learn about how artists can contribute to the change process. You will have space to reflect on how a similar framework might be co-designed and applied in your community.
Session Designers
Richard Evans, EmcArts, Inc
Speakers
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/954/profile_9a820ac56f2e9675eca31e4babbeff43.png "Richard Evans, EmcArts, Inc")
Richard Evans, EmcArts, Inc
Biography
Richard Evans directs, designs and facilitates EmcArts’ programs and strategic partnerships, which support individuals, organizations and communities on their journey to becoming highly adaptive. Through this work, EmcArts creates conditions for adaptive change to become integrated throughout the arts sector. A frequent speaker on the relationships between systemic change, cultural policy and emerging practices in the arts, Richard’s recent engagements have included most of the annual conferences of arts service organizations in the U.S. and Canada. His research and analysis has been published in numerous publications.Richard received his M.A. from Trinity College, Cambridge, England. Prior to founding EmcArts, he held senior positions in performing arts management and philanthropy, including: Co-director of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Advancement Program; Coordinator of the National Alliance of Artists’ Communities; Chief Executive of the Bath International Festival of Music & the Arts, England; and Vice President of the National Arts Stabilization Fund.
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/941/profile_e709a3071e5b96264da736de0d71abad.png "Lynne McCormack, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)")
Lynne McCormack, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Biography
As the national program director of LISC's creative placemaking program, Lynne oversees LISC’s many projects that bring arts and culture into the work of comprehensive community development. Before joining LISC, Lynne served as the director of Art, Culture and Tourism for the city of Providence. For over twenty years, she has worked at the intersection of arts and community, completing a comprehensive cultural plan in 2009. She has forged partnerships that resulted in a summer youth workforce development program, citywide arts festivals and increased funding creative placemaking through CDBG, HUD, transit and economic development funds. Ms. McCormack earned her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design and continues to employ creative practice and design-based thinking in her work for national LISC.
Twitter @LynneMcCormack