Ποιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do

Nice to see that the Kids Guernica project continues to ripple and create new forms of being.

As you know, Hatto, one of my great interests is in how the fostering of creativity through Kids Guernica is having impacts.  Obviously the impacts on participants is considerable.  The impacts on those who come in contact with the images and materials as viewers/visitors, is different.  I wonder if there is a chance to develop an impact framework that begins to parse the impacts into various categories - individuals, communities, organizations and the global community.  I am attaching a copy of the Critical Assessment Framework, which I know Hatto has seen, but with the intent of generating some new conversations about how best to get inside the power of how symbolic, creative materials can be transformative.  I have also attached a copy of a short paper about the Critical Assessment Framework for those who are not familiar with this tool.

 

 

Best wishes,

Doug

 

Critical Assessment Framework

 

Douglas Worts & Glenn Sutter - WorldViews Consulting – Jan/2010

 

Criteria for assessing initiatives aimed at 4 levels of cultural adaptation
(Rating performance without indicators is subjective. Discussions are useful and will generate criteria.)

 

When considering a new public program initiative, ask how well the program will:
Poorly to Well
1 2 3 4 5
N/A

 

• Personal Level (members of community):

Contribute and/or generate new insights
Capture imagination
Stimulate curiosity
Encourage personal reflection
Enhance ability to think critically and creatively
Provide opportunity to examine and clarify values
Demonstrate relevance and make connection to daily life
Affirm, challenge, deepen identity
Help develop a sense of place
Help deal with complexity and uncertainty
Increase responsible action
Stimulate intrinsic motivation

 

• Community Level:

Address vital and relevant needs / issues / opportunities within community
Generate information and connection at the personal, community,
provincial/territorial, national and global level
Engage a diverse public
Provide a voice for diverse groups
Encourage social interactions and debate
Act as a catalyst for action
Stimulate intergenerational interactions
Link existing community groups to one another
Initiate or enhance long term collaborative relationships
Partnerships empower community groups
Enhance the credibility of all involved
Result in products and processes that have tangible impact in the community

 

• Institutional Level:

Challenge personal and institutional assumptions
Guided by clearly articulated goals, objectives and outcomes
Use the most effective vehicle for achieving goals
Create a community of learning within staff
Integrate scientific, local and traditional knowledge
Act as catalyst for partnering community organizations

 

• Global Level:

Address issues of global significance – revealing links to local realities
Foster global ecosystem health
Reduce global ecological footprint
Enhance global social justice and equity
Foster public consciousness of global impacts of local choices

 

© The Working Group on Museums and Sustainable Communities - June 2006 (adapted)
For elaboration, see: Worts, Douglas, “Measuring Museum Meanings: A Critical Assessment Framework”, Journal of Museum Education, vol 31, #1, Spring 2006, Walnut Creek, California: Left Coast Press, pp. 41-49

The 'Critical Assessment Framework" has 4 lenses of planning and evaluation.

 

It will be critical that everyone in the arts, (including artists, administrators, museum and gallery professionals, as well as the public), think more deeply about the role of the art, artists, the arts and the core processes of creativity in helping to shape and direct our culture towards sustainability.  

 

'Kids Guernica' is a process of engaging youth in thinking about the world we live in - and will hopefully help shape the ways in which they approach their lives. But, to me, there is a missing piece - and that is developing ways to not only encourage the creative thoughtfulness of youth, but also to create ways to measure the impacts of such projects on others... on the culture.  

 

As for the culture I am speaking about what goes beyond the various creative traditional activities and enterprises that include visual arts, theatre, music, film, and so on. I think that 'culture' has to be seen as our individual and collective ways of life.  Culture too often languishes in the shadows of leisure time - even when the content is powerful and creative.

 

 

Toronto 28.10.2010