What excites me about this course are the possibilities between artists and communities that we are studying.  Like I said in class last Saturday, I’ve become somewhat cynical with collaboration with other artists and other groups, especially other groups. Successful collaborations with other non-artistic groups have been pretty much non-existent in my experience, though I have tried very hard. As a part of my theatre company, I have contacted local social justice organizations to join us in a production, even if it is just to host a talk  back to discuss the issue the play addresses. Maybe help the audience connect the science fiction situation to our own society. (I think I mentioned the first day that my theatre company is a sci-fi one, but here is just a reminder..) But I have also invited groups to come act in a show or collaborate in some other fashion: perhaps give an introduction or have a table with literature in the theatre , or lead an activity with the audience. I not only think this would be great exposure for each group involved, but a great way to facilitate discussion and understanding.  But people are busy and no group has ever taken me up on the offers. I’ve kind of given up on that sort of project. It could be that they are busy, but it could be that they don’t think 1+1=3 is not worth the trouble.

The examples of successful collaborations between cities and artists from this class are quite hopeful.  And the idea that it is a job to be the mediator on that collaboration adds to this hope.  The Creative Community Builder’s Handbook is a great resource on how to mediate collaborations. It is very practical with steps and examples of successful collaborations between communities and artists (although for every successful one, I wonder how many unsuccessful ones there are.)  Even though the handbook is sort of reductive in listing steps one should take, but Borrup prefaces it by saying all collaborations are different and the steps might not take on the form the book describes. Yes, collaboration can be quite complex by navigating people’s personalities, culture, wishes, and disagreements and every situation will be different as every person and group is different.

But what about just finding a group to collaborate with? The second step in the handbook “Identify and Recruit Effective Partners” seems a little too easy. I think this is the hardest part of the process.  At least in my experience and I think Borrup makes it seem a little easier than it actually is. How can I get other community groups excited about collaborating with my theatre company? Or how to just get groups generally excited at the prospect of working together?