In a deeply divided nation, museums can play an essential role in creating safe and welcoming spaces for the most marginalized and at-risk communities. A component of this work is in guiding current museum-goers towards more inclusive attitudes and behaviors that benefit society as a whole. Published by Susie Wilkening of Wilkening Consulting and the American Alliance of Museums,Audiences and Inclusion: A Primer for Cultivating More Inclusive Attitudes Among the Public uses new research to examine how museums can effectively employ one of our superpowers—the ability to spark curiosity—to cultivate more inclusive attitudes. Its 10-step primer offers a roadmap for museums to use radical curiosity and courageous empathy to crack open museum-goers’ worldviews and effect critical societal change while maintaining and broadening our audiences.
Fulbright Specialist Program
The Fulbright Specialist Program officially added Amparo Leyman Pino, M. Ed., to their Roster; with a four-year tenure starting in January 7th, 2021 through January 7th, 2025.As a candidate on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, she is eligible to be matched with projects designed by host institutions in over 150 countries globally.
Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets
The Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum in Washington, DC is receiving tremendous press for the SITES exhibit, Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets, which was reimagined for installation outdoors in a nearby neighborhood with neighborhood partners. Andrea Jones, the museum's Associate Director of Education, writes, "The place where this exhibit lives is adding so many layers of meaning that it may not have had inside a museum."
The Resilience Playbook
Gail Anderson and Anne Ackerson, along with their colleague Dina Bailey, presented an introductory webinar on January 27, 2021 on their new project, The Resilience Playbook.
MASS MoCA. In Session with artists Nick Cave, Shaun Leonardo, Steve Locke, and Xaviera Simmons. The panel began with introductory remarks by Dr. Kalima Young, and was moderated by artist M. Carmen Lane. Designed to pose more questions than answers, topics for this discussion included: What is trauma and what do we mean when speaking of Black trauma? Who holds permission to use images of violence against Black and Brown bodies? Who grants this permission? What are an art institution’s responsibilities toward audiences when hosting work regarding violence enacted against Black and Brown bodies?
