The
City Arts Experience
What
is City Arts all about?
City Arts is an integrated,
semester-long learning experience that explores the relationship between
the arts, popular culture and social change within the urban setting
of the Twin Cities. In this program you interact closely with different
communities through an internship at an organization of your choice
and through direct contact and conversation with visual artists, musicians,
actors, dancers, community organizers and activists, educators and arts
advocates. This semester is a chance to explore issues of social inequality,
political thought, and creative processes as they relate to you and
a larger urban context.
How
is HECUA different?
One of the exciting and
challenging features of City Arts is the level of responsibility students
are given for directing and evaluating their own learning process, as
well as contributing to the learning of other students. As students,
we have become accustomed to passive participation in our own education,
sitting back and waiting for the facts to be given to us, memorizing
and reproducing those facts for grades and credits. Choosing to participate
in City Arts is choosing a new way to learn. We invite you to become
dynamic, creative participants in this project.
LEARNING
IN CITY ARTS
What
do we do in City Arts?
City Arts is a unique semester
that weaves together a variety of experiences and activities.
• An
internship placement, tailored to your interests, provides hands-on
experience, skill-building, and a place to connect program themes with
reality.
• Field
seminars take you outside the classroom to meet with visual artists,
musicians, actors, dancers, community organizers and activists, educators
and arts advocates whose daily work intersects with the theories you
study. You also attend plays and performances and visit museums and
galleries.
• Readings
by diverse authors provide varied theories and philosophies for you
to analyze and use in building your own frameworks.
• Class
lectures and discussions with program faculty, colleagues and guest
speakers heighten understanding of concepts and current issues.
• Internship
seminars provide a space for discussion, critical analysis, and support
related to your experience, reflection on the impact of the organizations,
and insight into a wide array of career options.
• Written
papers ask you to reflect on the connections between practice and theory
as they are examined throughout the course.
• A
group study project allows you to focus intently on an area of your
own interest for an in-depth, semester-long study with a small group
of other students.
• Journal
writing helps to integrate your learning and what it all means to your
life.
• Group
interactions will cause you to rethink your views and assumptions concerning
the arts, social inequality and social change.
What
do we read?
Readings include both fiction
and non-fiction writings that challenge students intellectually and
create a basis for understanding key social issues, approaches to social
change and the role of the arts in impacting society and communities.
A few examples include:
- Drescher, Tim,
Reimaging America: The Arts of Social Change.
- Joanna Kadi, Thinking
Class: Sketches from a Cultural Worker.
- Saul D. Alinski, Rules
for Radicals.
- Marilyn Frye, "Oppression,"
from The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory.
- Minnie Bruce Pratt, Rebellion:
Essays 1980-1991. I Plead Guilty to Being a Lesbian.
- John P. Kretzmann and
John L. McNight, Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path
Towards Mobilizing Community Assets.
- Nina Felshin, But is
it Art: The Spirit of Arts as Activism.
- Patricia Collins and
Margaret L. Andersen, Race, Class and Gender: An Anthology.
- Andrew Boyd, The Activist
Cookbook: Creative Actions for a Fair Economy.
- Si Kahn, Organizing:
A Guide for Grassroots Leaders.
- bell hooks, Black Looks:
Race and Representation.
Who
do we meet and learn from?
Visual artists, musicians,
actors, dancers, community organizers and activists, educators and arts
advocates make up the itinerary of guest speakers for City Arts. Field
seminars range from discussion with a speaker to hands-on activities.
Some examples include:
Newar Abdul Wahid
- Diversity Institute. Workshop with students on the nature, dynamics
and inter-relatedness of various forms of oppression.
Sandy Agustin - Community
Programs Manager at Intermedia Arts. Students focus on developing their
own sense of story and weaving those stories together. This is a chance
to see how dance can be used to "build community."
Julia Dinsmore -
community activist/organizer, musician poet, mother and welfare recipient.
Students listen, sing, tell stories, and assess the reality of the welfare
system.
Catherine Jordan
- Project Director for A Capital New Year. She is a veteran arts organizer
and administrator. Discussion of the politics of arts funding in Minnesota
in the broader context of what is happening with politics and economics
in the U.S.
Kim Hines - author,
playwright, performance artist and social activist. Students watch a
performance by Hines and discuss theater and story telling as tools
for social change.
Akhmiri Sehkr-Ra
- Community Arts Organizer for Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association
and member of the Board of Directors for the Powderhorn-Phillips Cultural
Wellness Center. Discussion of her efforts to use art and cultural activity
to build power in her neighborhood that can achieve institutional, community
and policy change.
What
are the courses and how do they connect?
All students in City Arts
participate in what are considered four courses:
• Reading
seminar (1 course credit)
• Field
seminar (1 course credit)
•
Internship placement and seminar (2 course credits)
In contrast to courses on
campus, however, these four courses are not separate, distinct experiences
but are all interconnected.
The reading and field
seminars connect theory and action as a way to really grapple with the
issues. For example, one unit of study in City Arts involves historical
analysis of storytelling as an art form. During this unit students will
read theory and history that discusses the changing role and function
of the "storyteller" throughout history up to the present. Students
then use this theoretical framework to read an Ojibway narrative and
meet and listen to local Twin Cities storytellers.
The seminars, in turn, are
connected to your hands-on experience in the internship through assignments,
reflection papers and discussions.
How
are seminars graded?
Papers, group study projects,
written internship reflections and class participation are evaluated
in determining the student's grade. Grades are on an A-F scale; no incompletes
are given.
What
is the group study project?
The group study project
(GSP) is an integral part of the seminars and is one of numerous ways
in the City Arts program that students can connect their theoretical
learning with their passion to create change in the world. The GSP is
a chance for students to study and write about an issue that they care
about. It is a semester long process.
Toward the beginning
of the semester students select an issue, form small groups and as a
group submit a topic proposal in consultation with the program director
and/or assistant. Then, students investigate the issue they have selected,
both locally and nationally, making connections with artists and activists
engaged in the issue. Each small group then teaches the full group about
the topic, which involves planning and leading a reading seminar session,
a field seminar and a reflection discussion. A final reflection paper
summarizes the group study project.
What
have students done for group study projects?
Here are some examples of
past projects:
• Women
and Representation in Art: Women as Objects, Subjects and Creators
• Native
American Children and Education: the Value of Art and Cultural Representation
• Classism
and Folk Music
• Graffiti
Art
• Our
Multicultural America
• Elitism
and Art
• Homophobia:
The Response from Art and Popular Culture
Who
teaches the program?
Dr. Phillip Sandro,
program director, holds an undergraduate degree from Macalester College
and a Ph.D. in Economics from the New School for Social Research in
New York City. He has taught interdisciplinary experiential urban studies
programs for the past ten years. Dr. Sandro brings a life-long commitment
to study of activism in the city, listening to voices of diverse peoples
and identifying key forces of change. In City Arts, he blends his expertise
and interests to uniquely explore the role of the arts in both shaping
and reflecting culture in urban America.
Martha Malinski,
program assistant, holds a B.A. in Peace Studies from Gustavus Adolphus
College. She served as a student instructor for courses in peace and
women's studies and was a leader of numerous social justice activities
on campus. Ms. Malinski has professional experience in disseminating
human rights educational resources and advising students about community-based
service-learning opportunities.
THE
CITY ARTS INTERNSHIP
What
is a City Arts internship?
A City Arts internship provides
you with an exciting opportunity to be directly involved with the work
of a particular organization. The activities in which you will participate
are substantial and directly contribute to the goals of the organization,
are challenging in multiple ways, and will help you build skills and
gain experience. As an intern, your role is to learn from the organization
as you help to facilitate its mission through your projects and tasks.
The nature of the internship varies according to each student's goals,
needs and experiences, as well as those of the organization. You might
assist with mask making workshops, help to write newsletters for an
organization, learn the ropes of arts administration, or a wide variety
of other options.
How
does the internship fit into the program?
Since the internship comprises
half of the credits you earn, and requires 200 hours of time during
the semester, it is taken as a serious learning experience and responsibility.
With the program's focus on the politics of artistic expression and
the impact of arts and culture on urban life, each internship must,
in some way, draw together concepts of artistic creation and political
or social awareness. These two elements manifest themselves in vastly
different forms, creating a great diversity of possibilities.
What
kind of internships are there?
Here are some examples of
what past City Arts students have done:
|
Organization
|
Description
|
Intern Experience
|
|
Central High School Theater Department
|
A unique high school program that allows students
to dramatize and express issues of concern about race, gender,
class and everyday issues of inner city kids.
|
Led small group activities and warm-ups, provided
support to students, helped set-up, take-down, backstage work,
painting, worked on film project about the acting program, worked
to develop after school activities.
|
|
Saint Paul Tenants Union
|
Helps tenants organize to improve their housing
conditions, advocates for an adequate supply of affordable housing
for low and moderate income families.
|
Came up with ways to use art to increase SPTU's
visibility in the community. Advocated for tenants' rights, produced
art gallery show giving tenants a voice, produced fliers, assisted
with putting together a scrapbook, wrote for the newsletter.
|
|
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater
|
Creates innovative shows for adults and families,
presents residencies in school and community settings and holds
other festival activities during the year.
|
Assisted with shows as a performer and a builder,
made puppets and masks in school residencies, prepared for the
May Day parade by planning the parade theme, assisting with workshops,
and making costumes, masks and puppets.
|
|
Intermedia Arts
|
A multi-disciplinary, culturally diverse center
with a goal to foster communication and social change through
the arts.
|
Created map of murals in the Twin Cities, made
fundraising phone calls, helped organize community events such
as the "Poetry Slam," worked to make connections between Intermedia
and local schools.
|
|
Center for Arts Criticism
|
Provides a platform for defining genuine critical
dialogue about the arts in their social, political and cultural
contexts through workshops, lectures, publications, grants and
special programs.
|
Assisted with organizing the Center's projects,
writing, revising and editing grant proposals, helped develop
relationships between individual artists and the Center. Assisted
with giving artists feedback on their work.
|
|
Neighborhood Safe Art
|
Founded by public artist/muralist Marilyn Lindstrom;
works with inner city youth to build community and empowerment
through group mural projects; does residencies in schools.
|
Worked with Marilyn and students to create a
design and paint a mural, helped to organize and promote summer
mural project, and developed fundraising projects.
|
|
Coffee House Press
|
Publishes 10-12 books per year of literary fiction.
Many are first books by new authors, from a wide range of cultural
origins.
|
Read manuscripts, proofread and edited manuscripts,
wrote copy for sales catalog, assisted with marketing strategies,
sent out review copies and press kits.
|
|
MN Alliance for Arts in Education
|
A non-profit grassroots advocacy organization
that strives to make the arts a basic part of every child's education.
|
Provided support for lobbying and advocacy activities,
produced action alerts, researched background information on issues
concerning the politics of art in education, attended and took
notes in legislative committee meetings, monitored and analyzed
policies.
|
|
Lyndale Neighborhood Association
|
Utilizes the capacities of neighborhood residents
for community development.
|
Strengthened LNA's efforts to use art as a tool
for community building, assisted with the gallery, helped strengthen
LNA's relationships with neighboring arts organizations.
|
|
Community Programs in the Arts (COMPAS)
|
Goal is to provide high quality, participatory
arts activities to communities with limited access to the arts,
and to encourage community-building. Awards funds three times
a year to a wide variety of arts projects that benefit people
in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
|
Acted as contact person between schools and artists,
organized presentations and development of contracts for cultural
presentations, assisted in collaborations with other arts organizations,
updated and created study guides for artists to use in schools.
|
How
do I find an internship?
HECUA helps you identify
and sort through possibilities to find a placement that meets your interests
and the learning goals of the program. You describe your interests to
the HECUA Program Assistant or Director, who then connects you with
possible internship sites. (Placements may also develop through your
own contacts, subject to HECUA's approval.) HECUA usually makes initial
contact with the organization, then students are responsible for sending
a resume and interviewing at the potential site(s).
What
do I do at the internship and how is it graded?
As an active participant
in your educational process, you will design your own learning experience
in the internship through a carefully crafted set of learning objectives
called a "Learning Agreement." This specifies your role within the internship,
the contribution you'll make as well as the knowledge, skills and personal
development you intend to achieve. The Learning Agreement functions
as your internship plan, which includes what, you'll learn, how you'll
do it and how it will be evaluated.
For example, if grant
writing is one of your learning goals the Learning Agreement would specify
what grant projects you will be responsible for, deadlines for drafts
and final copy, resource people to contact for help, and how the work
fits into your learning and skill-building goals. You, your internship
supervisor and the Program Assistant or Director will work together
on the Learning Agreement and participate in midterm and final evaluations
as a basis for your final grade.
What
is the internship seminar?
The internship seminar is
a time for students to discuss internship successes and difficulties
with other City Arts students. It is also a time to connect internship
experiences with theoretical issues discussed in Reading and Field Seminars.
Discussion topics, group activities and writing assignments will help
students to integrate the internship experiences with the rest of the
program and gain support and understanding from students with similar
experiences.
What
if problems arise in my internship?
Students help each other
with problem solving as part of the internship seminar, and the program
assistant and director are always available to discuss strategies with
you. If there are serious problems that cannot be resolved, a new placement
may be arranged.
CREDITS
How
much credit do I get for the program?
The City Arts semester is
equivalent to a full semester course load -- 4 course credits, 16 semester
hours or 27 trimester credits. When broken down for the purposes of
credit distribution, the structural components of the program are:
Internship Placement and
Seminar = 2 course credits, 8 semester hours or 13 trimester credits
Reading Seminar = 1 course
credit, 4 semester hours or 7 trimester credits
Field Seminar = 1 course
credit, 4 semester hours or 7 trimester credits
How
do the credits fit into my degree?
The use of City Arts credits
is very flexible. You'll discuss the program with your advisor and decide
how it fits and how credits can be used for your major, minor, core
requirements and/or electives. With a curriculum focused on art and
social change, students can receive credits in the humanities, fine
arts and social sciences.
You can specify the kind
of internship you want so that it fulfills a particular kind of credit.
Furthermore, as part of the seminars you can do a group study project
that relates to your major.
An information sheet is
available from HECUA that outlines specific credit distribution considerations
at each member school. You can also talk to the HECUA campus representative,
on-campus faculty advisors and/or the HECUA program director for help
in figuring out credit distribution.
How
do the credits appear on my transcript?
For students from HECUA
member schools, credits earned are from your home institution rather
than transfer credits. HECUA sends a grade report to the college registrar
that gets posted to your transcript. Students from non-member schools
receive a Hamline University transcript and transfer the credits back
to their school.
LOGISTICS
How
much is the semester going to cost?
The City Arts Spring 2002
semester comprehensive fee equals whatever you pay for a full semester
of credits at your college, if your school belongs to the HECUA consortium.
University of Minnesota students pay a set fee of $5,100, that is different
from U of M tuition. If your school is not a member, the fee is $8,100.
This includes: tuition, all field seminars and required events, internship
placement and supervision, and some program materials. Housing, food,
transportation, reading materials and personal expenses are separate
and vary according to each student's needs and living situation.
Estimated additional expenses
for the semester are:
|
Housing
|
$1,650
|
|
Food
|
525
|
|
Transportation
|
260
|
|
Reading materials
|
155
|
|
Personal Expenses
|
350
|
|
Total
|
$2,940
|
How
can I finance my City Arts semester?
Most internships are unpaid.
Occasionally students are able to use work-study/financial aid, matched
with an agency stipend for a paid internship, but this is uncommon.
Some students increase loans for the semester, and many students work
paid jobs evenings and weekends. The program is very demanding, so students
often minimize their hours at another job.
Can
I use financial aid?
Students from HECUA member
schools should be able to use all financial aid for the City Arts semester.
The options for non-member students may vary. All students should talk
with their financial aid or off-campus study office for details.
What
does a typical City Arts week look like?
The structure of the City
Arts week is different from the normal college semester and similar
to that of a typical work week.
|
Monday:
|
Internship 9-5
|
|
Tuesday:
|
Class 9-3:30
|
|
Wednesday:
|
Internship 9-5
|
|
Thursday:
|
Class 9-3:30 and some evenings 7-10
|
|
Friday:
|
Internship 9-12
|
Your internship work schedule
may be flexible or may include some irregular hours; it can be set in
consultation with your supervisor. The class schedule is not negotiable.
Work and personal schedules must be arranged so that they do not conflict
with class meeting times or required Thursday night performances/events.
In addition to these requirements, students will need a significant
amount of time to prepare for class. The reading load and writing assignments
equal that of a rigorous college course.
Where
will I live?
If you already live in the
Twin Cities you do not have to move. You can live with friends, your
parents, stay in your dorm room on campus or move to a new place for
the semester.
If you're coming from outside
of the Metro area, or want to change your living arrangement for the
City Arts term, there are several options:
a. Find an apartment--HECUA
can refer you to well-established apartment hunting services, as well
as to City Arts students or alumni who might want a roommate. Your school
might have lists of college alumni in the Twin Cities who often have
rooms available. You might have your own leads. The Program Assistant
can also give you ideas of places in the city to consider living, based
on transportation, convenience, safety and connections with places you'll
be learning about during the term.
b. Live on a Twin Cities
college campus--it may be an option to live on campus at one of the
many member schools in Minneapolis or St. Paul. HECUA can find out if
and where space is available and provide information for you to contact
residential life offices. (Note that schools might require you to pay
for a meal plan, which you may not be able to fully use due to the City
Arts schedule.)
c. Live with a host family--an
alternative being developed is the option of living with a family for
the semester, a placement that would be arranged through Hamline University.
Consider living with
another student on the program as a way to get to know other people
and talk to someone who understands the new things you experience. Sharing
transportation is also a plus.
How
will I get around?
Students are responsible
for getting to their internships and to class. Students who live in
the same areas usually carpool to class and to different meeting places
for Tuesday and Thursday seminars, so owning a car is not a necessity.
Some students rely on public transportation to get to their internships
and to class. Riding the bus can be time-consuming yet provides a great
way to learn the city and encounter the urban reality discussed during
the semester.
STUDENTS RESPOND
What
have students said about City Arts?
"I've seen first hand
how powerful the arts can be; I'm not scared anymore to stick to my
art major. The importance of art has been validated by many people we've
met and things we've studied. I can hopefully share this experience
with other people through dialogue and through my own art."
"You learn about the
art of today and the impact it has socially, politically, and economically
in communities."
"The City Arts program
challenged me to look at the world from a new perspective. Artists from
across the city offered their perspectives for us to learn from, and
we did. Things haven't been the same since."
"If you want to learn
about real life, see how theory interacts with the 'real thing,' City
Arts is the only way to go."
"I had an internship
experience and an off-campus living experience in a big city--that's
what I came for. I received much more--challenging thinking, self-reflection,
etc."
"City Arts is not for
everyone, but fits the needs of those who are trying to combine the
love for arts and the need to be a positive presence in the world."
How
do students benefit from City Arts?
"I've learned to recognize
others' perspectives and experiences, to value art as a means of communication
and activism, and that MY role in all that is important."
"I feel more purposeful
as an artist now. I learned so much about myself and where I may go,
it's amazing."
"I learned about
social issues and the social and political structure in the U.S., but
most importantly I learned to think critically and challenge information."
"I am much more
directed. I will carry with me many new opinions and values which coincide
with race, class, gender, art and science."
"I exceeded my
goals. I basically came wanting to learn about art and active learning.
I came out with a social conscience."
"I learned the
importance and power of the arts as a vehicle for social change. I experienced
the power and importance of community for survival and quality of life."
What
schools and majors have participated in City Arts?
Students come from a variety
of schools and majors. City Arts is not just for art majors. It draws
students from the social sciences, humanities and many other fields.
Participants have included:
Schools
|
Augsburg College
|
Augustana College
|
Carleton College
|
College of St. Benedict
|
College of St. Catherine
|
|
College of Visual
Arts
|
Concordia University
- St. Paul
|
Gustavus Adolphus
College
|
Hamline University
|
James Madison University
|
|
Macalester College
|
Minnesota State
University - Mankato
|
Mount Senario College
|
Oberlin College
|
St. Mary's University
|
|
St. Norbert College
|
St. Olaf College
|
Swarthmore College
|
University of Minnesota
|
University of St.
Thomas
|
|
Viterbo University
|
Westmar University
|
|
|
|
Majors
|
African American
Studies
|
American Studies
|
Anthropology
|
Art
|
Art Education
|
|
Art for Social Change
|
Art History
|
Bachelor of Individualized
Study
|
Business Administration
|
Chicano Studies
|
|
Communications
|
Computer Science
|
Creative Writing
|
Cultural Studies
|
Education
|
|
English
|
Fine Arts
|
French
|
German
|
Graphic Design
|
|
History
|
Humanities
|
International Studies
|
Journalism
|
Liberal Studies
|
|
Management
|
Mathematics
|
Medieval Studies
|
Ministry
|
Music
|
|
Native American
Studies
|
Philosophy
|
Photography
|
Political Science
|
Psychology
|
|
Public Relations
|
Puppetry
|
Russian Language
and Culture
|
Social Work
|
Sociology
|
|
Spanish
|
Special Education
|
Speech
|
Studio Art
|
Theater
|
|
Urban Studies
|
Women's Studies
|
|
|
|
Contact HECUA if you would
like to talk with past student participants from your school or your
major about the program.
ABOUT
HECUA
What
is HECUA?
HECUA is a consortium of
15 Midwest colleges and universities that provides off-campus study
programs in Scandinavia, Latin America and the U.S. HECUA was founded
nearly 30 years ago by faculty of the member schools who were committed
to connecting college studies with current issues in society. Over the
years HECUA has developed high-quality, challenging academic programs
and extensive community connections which combine to create experiential
learning opportunities that have earned local and national distinction.
The programs successfully weave together subject matter from multiple
disciplines and field work, allowing students to be involved in social
issues, explore personal identity and develop ways to be active in their
own communities.
How
do I contact HECUA?
Higher Education Consortium
for Urban Affairs (HECUA)
2233 University Ave. W., Suite 210
Saint Paul, MN 55114-1629
Fax: 651/659-9421
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.hecua.org
Michael Eaton, Admissions
and Student Services
651/646-8832 or 800/554-1089, [email protected]
Doug Franzman, Student
Accounts
651/646-8831, [email protected]
Amy Sunderland, Executive
Director
651/646-1348, [email protected]
Copyright
(c) 2001. Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Last updated 02/27/01
