Assessing the Practices of Public Scholarship

About the Research

The Curriculum Project began in 2007, when three colleagues—Jan Cohen-Cruz, Dudley Cocke, and Arlene Goldbard (read more about the project principals) compared notes from their combined experience with higher education-based programs for community artists. (Download A Call for Excellence in Community Cultural Development Curriculum in Higher Education for a full description of their observations.)

They recognized a unique moment of opportunity: more people were writing and documenting practice; universities across the U.S. had created dozens of individual courses, certificates, and degree programs in some aspect of community cultural development; growing numbers of students were interested in this work; and increasingly, social justice activists were bringing cultural awareness into their efforts, understanding the relationship between culture, community development, and social change.

They proposed to research current practice and future potentials for excellence in community artists’ education. Jan became director of Imagining America, a national consortium of colleges and universities committed to public scholarship in the arts, humanities, and design, and IA offered a home to the project. In the fall of 2007, the Nathan Cummings Foundation agreed to underwrite this research. At the end of 2007, three advisors joined the team: Ludovic Blain III, an experienced organizer who currently work at the Center for Social Inclusion; Jamie Haft, a recent graduate of New York University who also works as project administrator; and Sonia BasSheva Mañjon, vice-president of diversity and strategic partnerships at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. (Read more about the project principals).

2008 Timeline

January-March 2008: Research
March 16, 2008: Story Circles at Community Arts Convening & Research Project at MICA, Baltimore, MD. Project online surveys launched. Research continues until mid-May.
May 15, 2008: Surveys close.
July 2008: Project team and advisors review findings.
July-September 2008: Preparation and review of report and implementation plans.
October 4, 2008: Presentation of report at Imagining America national conference in Los Angeles, distribution to participants and field.
October 14, 2008: Presentation to Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Atlanta.