The Art of Social Engagement: Co-creating with Communities through Institutional Collaborations

This talk features a case study of a collaboration between a museum, a community college, creatives, and the public. In March, Gina Otvos (Coordinator of Library Art Galleries at STC) and I received a grant from Humanities Texas which partially funded a visit from a founding Guerrilla Girl (Käthe Kollwitz) and an exhibition of their posters. We created a calendar of Women’s History Month events around the Guerrilla Girls visit called She Roars!. One off-campus event within the series was a community workshop turned exhibition at the IMAS (International Museum of Art and Science), a local art and science museum. The event was called Uproar! The Art of Social Engagement. A vinyl wall prompt asked visitors, “What change do you wish to see in the world today?". On surrounding walls, visitors responded to varying topics, included Immigrant Rights, Gender/LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Environment, General Complaints, and a Kids Corner. Community members were asked to co-create artistic campaigns for social change by collaboratively making art on the museum walls (materials were supplied). The workshop ended with local artists and community organizers facilitating a discussion about public art, social responsibility, community building, and activism. The resultant community exhibition remained on display where museum visitors were invited to add to the conversation. Located on the US-Mexico border, our region is rich in culture and history but is often used for political fodder which can silence personal narratives from within. This presentation will highlight the museum's role in facilitating community conversations and elevating local voices.