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Methods in Public Humanities

Methods in Public Humanities. An Introduction. Public humanities at universities. Humanities scholarship public access Opening to new audiences Shared knowledge creation Preparing future faculty/scholars with public collaborative outlook publicly engaged humanities

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Methods in Public Humanities

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  1. Methods in Public Humanities An Introduction

  2. Public humanities at universities Humanities scholarship public access Opening to new audiences Shared knowledge creation Preparing future faculty/scholars with public collaborative outlook publicly engaged humanities Changing mission of disciplines or university?

  3. Public humanities in the public • Community institutions in the lead (w/humanities scholars in support) • What difference do the humanities make in community life? in the life of individuals? What are the questions/topics that people care about?

  4. The public = • People served by federal, state, nonprofit or community cultural institutions • Mass population or subgroups • Stakeholders concerned with a specific issue or organization • A market (customers)

  5. Participation surveys: • What people say they do -- national samples (e.g., SPPA) • Tracking attendance/ticket sales -- local and institutionally specific Also tracking charitable giving

  6. SPPA key findings: • 35% US adults attended some performance or museum (78 million) • Overall decline in attendance since 1982 • Overall decline in creating and performing (except photography) • Arts audiences getting older • Participation goes up with level of education • More people are participating online – and more Americans listen/view recorded art performances than attend them live • Many of the live performances people attend are at schools and churches

  7. In what ways have you participated in arts, public humanities in the last six months?

  8. Went to: Films and film festivals Theater performances Museums – Art Institute Chicago; RISD; LESTM; Guggenheim; MoMA; Culinary Museum Historic sites – Lizzie Borden house; 9-11 memorial Galleries Live storytelling events and open mike night Book reading National park Arts fundraisers Ballet and dance – MomixBotanica Music festivals, concerts, shows; opera and plays Conferences, classes, training sessions, and workshops Viewed: Historical and cultural programs online Historical documentaries on tv/DVD Went to public libraries Viewed online exhibits Historic sites while travelling Enjoyed/explored city Public film series Blogs and social media Listened to: Public radio TED talks

  9. Performed in: opera “Got lost in” google’s art museum app Joined/sat on: A museum focus group A museum A board of directors Volunteered or interned or worked at: School or education program – including leading tour to another country City Hall Gallery Oral history projects Arts organization – RISCA, AS220 Historic site – Lowell NHP Haffenreffer Museum

  10. Helped create or produce: Historic tour Cataloged historical materials for archive Conducted oral history interviews Built online exhibit – or collected/produced content Exhibit Cultural event – festival, performances, film series – e.g., Action Speaks Museum website Film Wikipedia entries Did archival research started to build international arts collective Preserved family documents Organized lecture/event/public dialogues/classes Shared humanities info via: twitter, facebook, blogs Created a memorial/helped construct a new monument – or participated in a dedication

  11. Other ways to think about participation: • Engagement with an institution (supporting/interacting with an organization and its activities) • Personal practice and expression • Membership and giving • Literacy – getting/having skills and knowledge about a subject, intellectual engagement • Trust and confidence • Meaning that people attach to certain activities

  12. Presence of the Past survey

  13. What motivates people – why participate? • Emotionally rewarding • Gain knowledge • High-quality art • Socialize • Celebrate heritage • Low cost • Support community organization • (From Ostrower, “Multiple Motives, Multiple Experiences,” in Tepper and Ivey, Engaging Art)

  14. Or another way to think about participation: • 1. Inventive arts participation (making) • 2. Interpretive (interpreting/performing a preexisting work of art) • 3. Curatorial (organizing, collecting, displaying art) • 4. Observational (attending) • 5. Ambient (unplanned arts experiences) • Alan Brown, “The Values Study: Rediscovering the Meaning and Value of Arts Participation” (2004)

  15. Do more, do more thesis

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