The meaning of risk in community art
Three days ago, anticipating the first performance of the Leiria prison opera, I wrote that I didn’t expect to see
Category: Community arts
This is special
In the dusty hall of a disused prison workshop, 30 people shuffle into a big circle. Silence falls. They draw
This is not a level playing field
Evaluation has become a dominant preoccupation in participatory art in the past generation. It’s a fascinating field, and I’ve played
The view from East Lawrence
Dave Loewenstein, community murals and living democracy Browsing the artwork in Dave Loewenstein’s online shop, I was delighted by this
Friendship and the community artist
When I talk about community art practice with younger or less experienced artists, I often warn against offering friendship to
‘If not pure, then at least useful.’
Read this book. It is probably the most important book about art that will be published this year. Or about
Other People’s Books: some recommendations
Over past year or two, I’ve had a series of conversations with people about books they’ve been working on. Some
Trusting the process, again
In January 2021, for the first time in my life, I wrote a long, detailed outline for a community art
Inexperience is fine – give it space
I have a lot of conversations with, or about, young artists—people rather new to participatory work, even if they have
Denise Griffin Johnson and cultural organising in West Baltimore (USA)
A Culture of Possibility, the podcast I co-host with Arlene Goldbard, connects experiences of community art in Europe and the
Parliament of Dreams 