The “Social Change through the Arts” Study Group is designed for anyone considering a career in the creative arts or cultural sectors, as well as for those interested in an introduction to the world of cultural entrepreneurship and the concepts behind creating social impact through the arts. We will examine the potential for the arts and cultural sectors to be a vehicle for social change. Over the course of five sessions, participants will become familiar with the definition and concepts behind cultural entrepreneurship and measurement methodology by analyzing the stories of leaders in the field and through studying organizational examples. The Study Group will use HBS case studies, current readings and discussion to examine how cultural entrepreneurship has and is making an impact in the world today. Global examples will be sought throughout, as well as artistic examples across different artistic disciplines.
The sessions will be led by Carla Dirlikov Canales, SICI Fellow and Professor of Cultural Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Guest practitioners and visiting scholars will be incorporated into each session.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Participants will:
Gain an understanding of cultural entrepreneurship and its relevance to society.
Learn major cases in this space and their application to social problems.
Apply analytic methodologies and identify common impediments to accurate cultural analysis.
Develop understanding of how an individual can use entrepreneurial principles to create positive social impact by engaging the power of culture.
Assess present-day social challenges and how cultural entrepreneurship could play a role in creating solutions.
Discuss why entrepreneurial failures occur and what can be done to prevent them.
Session 1 – Arts Advocacy: Americans for the Arts
October 14th 2022
Guest: Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts
Randy Cohen is Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts—the national advocacy organization for the arts—where he has been empowering arts advocates since 1991. He publishes Arts & Economic Prosperity, the national economic impact study of nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences, and Americans Speak Out About the Arts, a national public opinion study about the arts. Randy led the development of The National Arts Index, the annual measure of the health and vitality of arts in the U.S. and the National Arts Policy Roundtable, an annual convening of leaders who focus on the advancement of American culture—launched in partnership with Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute. His 10 Reasons to Support the Arts blog received the Gold Award from the Association of Media & Publishing—their top honor for best blog post of the year. He was a recent nominee for the Sidney Yates Advocacy Award for outstanding advocacy on behalf of the performing arts in America. A sought-after speaker, Randy has given speeches in all 50 states, and regularly appears in the news media—including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and on C-SPAN, CNN, CNBC, and NPR.
Americans for the Arts is a nonprofit organization whose primary focus is advancing the arts in the United States.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://harvard.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlfuqtqDwoH90K5hvFWv4OV9Dz7yJnEOqS
Study Group Instructor
Carla Dirlikov Canales, SICI Fellow
Contact Email:
carla_dirlikovcanales@harvard.edu