ELAN’s new Financial Chair, Meredith Wong, shares some lessons and ideas from the recent Creative Conversations on Bridging the Bubble between Campus & Community in the Arts.
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SCENARIO: Let’s pretend you’re grocery shopping – Market of Choice, perhaps. While perusing through the aisles, you notice, out of the corner of your eye, someone, who looks like a former classmate. [WAIT. NO. DON’T STARE!] You quickly turn your head and keep on walking, pretending to find interest with the neatly organized section of dry goods. After “picking out” you’re your favorite trail mix, you decide to glance over your shoulder, against your better judgment. You and your former classmate meet eyes with a curious and prolonged linger. No, this is not the beginning of a love story, because neither of you say a single word. No gesture of any kind to acknowledge the classroom connection between you two. Nothing. At. All. You both just sheepishly walk away while thinking, “Well, that was my awkward moment of the day…”
Unfortunately, these awkward encounters, or more so a lack thereof, occur on a much larger scale in Eugene. The presence of the University of Oregon is undeniable. We all know it’s there. The surrounding community, including the downtown area – we also know it’s there. However, there is an evident disconnect between the two. The crossover and interaction between the student population and community members just isn’t happening.
On October 30, the Emerging Leaders in the Arts Network partnered with the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE) to address this very issue. Through the theme “Bridging the Bubble Between Campus and Community in the Arts,” panelists covered topics, such as:
- “Bridging Student Internships” led by Pam Macki from Professional Outreach and Development for Students (PODS);
- “Forming Student and Community Collaborations” led by Michael Knackstedt from Small Howl;
- “Attracting Students to Downtown Eugene” led by Isaac Marquez from Eugene Cultural Services; and
- “Connecting Community Members to University of Oregon Arts” led by Debbie Williamson of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA).
Through these discussions, along with the following ABAE Meet Up on November 13, attendees generated great ideas to increase relationships all around. These included:
- Building partnerships with different organizations through collaborative programs, such as career development workshops;
- Designing a consistent brand image and developing innovative marketing and advertising strategies, such as similar poster designs and free admission at the JSMA on home football game weekends; and
- Creating events that attract a wide-range of individuals into an unfamiliar area, such as a student night in downtown and a community scavenger hunt.
So, the next time you’re at Market of Choice, don’t be afraid to bridge that bubble. Take a chance. Strike-up a conversation. You might find that a connection exists. Likewise, you might find an art community outside your own.
