Barry's Arts Blog and Update

Barry, you have your own blog, and my guess is most people with iphones and facebook pages don't have their own blog. So you're not as far behind as you think. It will be easy for you to catch up

Thanks for this great blog, Barry. I know I'm not the only one who is relieved that they're not alone in being left out of Facebook.

Crap, I'm old enough to remember the days when not listening to someone was meant figuratively! Now everyone is plugged in, and tuned out.

Hi Barry,

Great post. I remember when there was some talk about things like this on the emerging leaders listserv, but from the other side of the coin, i.e. "They (arts leadership) never ask us our opinion, or our thoughts on a better way to do this with technology." I talk to a lot of arts organizations that know they should be more up to speed with technology, but many feel that there is an invisible chasm that they don't want to jump across.

I'm a big believer in mentorship -- usually it's a younger person getting information from an older, more experienced mentor. But I think in a case like this, it works just as well in reverse. Folks who feel a little out of the "hip" crowd shouldn't be afraid to hit up an emerging leader in the know and invite them to lunch for a "what's new" and "how does this work" session. It would be a benefit to both people -- one would learn new and interesting things to expand their knowledge, and the other would feel that their time, opinion, and expertise were respected. And sometimes that means more than money, title, or anything else. Plus... free lunch!

Most non-profit arts organizations I work with have the conversation of "how can we get younger people / artists involved?" The problem seems to stem from a number of issues: In California, and much of the US, arts education in our schools has been hit hard and heavy, with a net result of the last several generations have had little or NO hands-on arts experience. Even truer for the lower income portions of our population. These younger people spend their "free" time differently, and making art is not high on the list. Listening to music on their iPODS, or playing video games or texting don't fall into "being creative".
We have sent the message thru the schools that the ARTS are not valued, nor mentioned in any career path development. At the very least, we could start by providing better role models for our youth. Get successful artists in our communities to participate in Career Days at local high schools. We need better role models of successful people besides Madonna, Kobe, etc. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had more movies and TV shows featuring artists in successful, involved, contributing, positive roles?
Keep on blogging! Thanks!

Listen to the youth? What do they have to say? Supposedly they are a reflection of our society. As Ron Evans mentioned, "The problem seems to stem from a number of issues: In California, and much of the US, arts education in our schools has been hit hard and heavy, with a net result of the last several generations have had little or NO hands-on arts experience. Even truer for the lower income portions of our population.
I tend to agree w/Mr. Evans. Personally I believe that we need to observe closely the youths activities and be more selective on which youth to listen to. Some have the "know-how" and/or experience that are the values developed by our generation.
Our generation has a responsiblity to be availiable to those youth; to assist by guiding and advising accordingly. We are the ELDERS. And then I must end with a saying I heard in a Native American circle - "There are ELDERS and there are OLDERS." The latter being not acceptable.
rojeda

My only point was that if you want more young people invovled in the arts -- as future arts administators, or financial supporters, or advocates or as new audience members - then perhaps it would be wise to listen to them, try to understand what they value, what they want, communicate with them using their communications methods, get a sense of who they are, and accord them a little respect. If people don't want to do that, for whatever reason, and they are most certainly entitled not to do that, that's ok, but then they shouldn't be surprised and shouldn't complain, if young people don't want to work for them, don't want to be in their audience, don't want to give them money and don't want to act as their boosters.

Barry...Artificial societal constructs concerning aging and its debatable pathological state produce a sense of feeling of distance from youth. These boundaries are in the mind of the participants. Check out the work of Dr. Gene Cohen on Creativity and Aging. A brief "read" of his studies can be most rewarding to the aging doubter. As an "elder" and a practicing Artist - I find this concern for being "outdated" a constant in my thinking. The solution - as I see it - is increased cross generational dialogue - giving the spectrum of ages a chance to experience each other in a positive and productive verbal environment - a positive semantic space. I do this through talking to a lot of younger people - trying to really listen and not debate - going to the free concerts where young people go to hear and experience classical as well as "Indie" music - exhibitions and I use local bookstores as a source of information about the numerous cutting edge magazines with new and changing perspectives on the Arts. Language is the initial barrier (beyond graying or white hair and wrinkles) to the effective understanding of each other's perceptions. We tend to code our words with meanings that link us with - most often - "like" beings - too often our generational partners. I understand concern about the "hip" word for I - too - have wondered where this word now rests in cross generational dialogue. Trust is the essential factor in developing effective C.D. dialogue and that only comes over time and with increased and positive opportunities to experience it. My hope is to see in our cities - more opportunities for effective dialogue - opportunities to meet with and talk with more creative people who care as deeply as I and so many others do about growing the Arts. Keep it growing Barry - your Blog is great - you are helping us think and feel how we can make things better in this world of the Arts. The Internet is our open forum without barriers of age and the way each of us "look". Only our personal doubts can prevent communication in Internet discourse. Thank you for raising this important issue in an open forum online.

I enjoyed your excellent post ... as an author, I do worry about the future of "old" media (like the books I write!), but also appreciate the new stuff. Sometimes. I'm totally hooked on Facebook, for example, but loathe cell phones.

If we could manage to be hip past a certain age, those younger than that certain age would quickly find something else to be that would be hipper. You can't fight it. It's the job of each generation to baffle its elders.

But your words of warning to arts administrators are spot-on.

Thanks for a great forum Barry. I recently went to a training by a nonprofit on "Social Networking". I was the oldest person there. One of the younger participants got up and said "Why worry about those over 50 as they will be dead soon!" This was not a joke but a serious comment.
Yikes! So misunderstandings go both ways age wise. I have had great luck with interns to the Civic Arts Program who are very young and very helpful. Many that is one solution.
bye,
Mary Ann

It is a snare and a delusion to think we lack relevance at any age. Even when we become the oldest in our nation, when no one is left of our generation but us, we remain human beings with a significant part of history invested in us, and worthy of being listened to. Whether that listening comes our way or not is another issue, one that reflects on others not ourselves. No one is without his story, however silent the voice.

I'm going to give you a big AMEN. The internet - supposing one has access to it - is the great equalizer. We can't see how old someone is or what they look like. We even have to take them on their word that they are what they say they are - who is Barry, anyway? All that we know is who provides content that is relevant to us and who does not. And, scarily for those of us in the arts and media sector, we do not get to choose what is relevant. Our patrons do. And we have to meet them where they are, not where we wish they would be.
While arts education may be partially to blame for a (supposed) decline in arts participation and appreciation, I think that an explosion in the number of choices available is more at the core. On any given night, I have the choice of dozens of potential ways to spend my time. Why should I choose you? Are you relevant? According to whom? Because if you are bent on attracting younger participants to your events and venues, it can't be because you SAY you are relevant. You have to actually BE relevant. Start with the art product, not with social networking and mobile media.
In Pittsburgh, which is generally known as an aging/older city, attracting youth and young professional patrons is often viewed as the holy grail of arts organization sustainability. As a member of that treasured demographic, I think our importance is overstated. Tastes change and mature as we age, and what appeals to a 20-year-old and 40-year-old may not be the same thing. I would discourage organizations from turning from their core audiences to run after fickle youth. However, if the youth market is important to you for reasons other than their ability to age, then yes: if you want them, you have to reach them where they are. They won't come to you if you don't give them a reason.