I’ve been researching books and resources related to evaluation, especially museums and visitors. I’ve started a list of books and readings on the topic I thought I would share.  Please share any additions you  may have.

Debbie

Wendy Meluch, Visitor Studies Manual. https://visitorstudiesmanual.wordpress.com (free download. I would start here. Wendy is an exceptional evaluator. She created this resource with grant support. It’s intended to help museum staff and volunteers do in-house evaluation.)

Judy Diamond et al., Practical Evaluation Guide: Tools for Museums and Other Informal Educational Settings. (Rowman & Littlefield 2016)

Stephanie Weaver, Creating Great Visitor Experiences (Left Coast Press, 2007)

Beverly Serrell, Judging Exhibitions (Left Coast Press, 2006)

There is a section on evaluation in  Exhibit Makeovers, 2nd edition (Parman, Craig, Murphy, White, Rowman & Littlefield, 2017).

We had a great group meeting last night where I felt the energy of four different minds, attitudes, and interests work together into a cohesive unit. I am excited to research social justice art installations and projects that I find powerful to create an engaging presentation for class.

Prior to class, I thought community cultural development was a concept about people and place. I saw it as acknowledging both the cultures that already exist within a place and exposure to other cultures, usually through the arts. And I always thought I incorporated that as part of my work approach to marketing the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the 20x21EUG through collaborations, events, and art. To some extent I probably do but the video we watched, Songs Are Free, has been with me since Saturday afternoon. The harmonies of Ellie’s Song fill my head to the point that I have found multiple videos of the song online. I found other music by Sweet Honey and the Rock on Spotify and it has been dominating my playlist. I have further researched the remarkable women Fanny Lou Hammer and Ella Baker. I have told friends and family about the music and shared links on social media. I have started conversations about learning that the We in We Shall Overcome was the influence of the white community and comparing it the way that people, mostly white people, change Black to All in Black Lives Matter, a topic I’d love to discuss further. In the show, the galvanizing power of the youth movement was behind Civil Rights, which exactly what it is happening now with the gun debate following the Parkland School shooting. Dr. Reagan discussed how the meaning is of songs are placed by the singer and how the physical act of singing gives a person a place so that by singing, you cannot change the air in that space. These 45 minutes of tape, of respectful and honest dialogue, has broadened my definition of community cultural development. And although it might not always be possible, true community cultural development, when presented to those with open hearts who are ready to listen can be a life changing moment where one realizes their power and inspired to help others realize the same.