WHAT DOES THE PHRASE MEAN?: ENGAGING WITH THE IDEA OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Heritage Moments | Carly Wolowich

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The topic of community engagement has been a growing trend in heritage institutions. However, I often find myself questioning what museum professionals mean when they use this term. As museum professionals slip the phrase in almost every conversation surrounding museum programming and planning, community engagement almost seems to be an over exhausted cliché that lacks a sense of substance and thought. It is easy to use the term “community engagement” to appear as a seeming noble ally, but I feel we must ask what really is community engagement and how can we take part in it?

In a search to find answers, I turned to those who are actively making a change in community organizations. The Community Arts Guild has been working in Scarborough since 2012, partnering with local residents and organizations. Run by Beth Helmers, Artistic Director, and Joanna Prescod, Outreach and Project Manager, the Community Arts Guild connects people separated from each other, inviting everyone, including those who may not normally have the opportunity to participate, to make art of all kinds.

The Cast and Crew from Unfolding, the Community Art Guild's outdoor community performance about the history and stories of Scarborough (Photograph courtesy of Katherine Fleitas/peacephoto)

Speaking with both Beth and Joanna, I quickly learnt that one of the key attributes to successful community engagement is an established sense of flexibility and thoughtful collaboration. While Beth noted that one of the benefits of Community Arts Guild’s smaller size is its agility, both her and Joanna advocated the idea of tailoring projects to things that are of interest and importance to community members. To do so, they advised that heritage institutions determine who they are communicating with and involve them early on in the planning process of a program. As Joanna noted, “community engagement needs to start with the idea”, as “rather than trying to fit community stories into a museum’s framework, they need to be placed in a context that is important for the people themselves”.

During our conversation, Beth expressed the importance of “recognizing assets in a community” and fostering partnerships. Community Arts Guild is providing free programming and thereby building relationships through other community leaders with the same values. For example, the people involved in the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communitiy's Tamil Seniors' Wellness Program, an organization closely partnered with the Community Arts Guild, share an enduring reciprocal partnership with Beth and Joanna. Beth reiterated the phrase used by Anne Gloger of the East Scarborough Storefront; “emergence is where momentum meets opportunity”. Rather than rigid one time programs, the Community Arts Guild works to produce ongoing forward-thinking connections that will continuously adapt to support positive change in the community.

Accessibility is the core value of the Community Arts Guild and must be considered in heritage institutions community outreach and programming. According to Joanna “it just doesn’t make sense to not be accessible”. While those who have capacity are welcomed to join, resources are focused on those who cannot, depending on whatever social or physical barriers they face. During my time volunteering with Beth, Joanna, and their other amazing staff and volunteers, I was able to witness how such simple acts of providing access make such a difference in community members’ lives. By just offering transportation--a concern heritage institutions are often remiss in thinking of--alleviated a considerable barrier for so many individuals.

The Community Art Guild's Interlacing project is an interactive art installation that  travelled to different sites in Scarborough, inviting people to weave their stories together (Photograph courtesy of Sonja Rainey)

Heritage institutions have the opportunity to create powerful change in local communities. Joanna stressed, “cultural institutions need to realize that they are the facilitators and not the owners of history”. I find heritage institutions' outreach programs being extractive at times, as relationships with community members are continually forged with the museum’s interests at heart. Museums and the like need to pay attention to the stories that communities want to tell to transform their rather traditional self-seeking framework. Beth voiced that storytelling is seen in all disciplines of art and heritage work, and is ultimately part of the human condition. Community members voices are vital and important, it is just a matter if museums are truly willing to listen in order to enact change.

(Photograph courtesy of Sonja Rainey)

I would implore everyone reading this article to take a moment, perhaps a Heritage Moment, and think of what community engagement means and looks like to you. I would love to hear what everyone thinks!