If global economics are in freefall, world leaders appear paralysed to stop war and famine, at home our communities are facing job losses and financial hardship, what can we do NOW collectively or singly, through our roles, to give hope, joy, relevance, and support to make the world, our world, a better place ?
How do we reach out to those who do not naturally turn to our theatres and galleries, arts centres and orchestras, for spiritual and emotional support ? How can we appear necessary and important to their lives ? How do we raise our consiousness so we can do good together ?
This is the series of questions I have pitched into the very early discussion stages of a new initiative I am really honoured to be a part of. MMM (Mission, Models and Money) have been granted support for a programme called re.volution which brings arts managers from across the UK together virtually and in real rooms to explore “building the resilience of creative practitioners and organisations and realising art and culture’s leadership role in tackling the huge global challenges we face.”
We’ve had one meeting, and the joy for me was that of the 12 practitioners gathered I hadn’t met a single one of them before. A completely new group of creative colleagues across the most diverse of creative sectors. I haven’t got a clue how the next few months will shape up. What I do know is that I intend to try to find the time to be an active participant in discussion and meetings – just to see where it goes.
It is too easy for us as arts/creative practitioners to get bogged down in grant applications, staffing and volunteer support, contracting and making projects administratively sound, marketing the hell out of the tough sellers, raising every possible penny of fundraising to balance the books – and to forget that we are part of a glorious ecology of colleagues and friends who can make a difference.
Every day we have reasons to be Grateful for the artistic/creative world we live in. Every day we can draw on the Abundant gifts of the artforms, the buildings and the colleagues with whom we work. Abundance and Gratitude are what we have to share.
My question is how do we use what we have wisely, at this time, to do the maximum good for humanity and the planet ?
And don’t get away with saying we can’t change the world – who can ever tell which snowflake broke the branch ?
I would welcome your thoughts by email chris [at] chrisgrady [dot] org and I will feed them through into the MMM discussion also, with your permission.
Thanks for reading / Chris