Arts Leaders Motivations

SDVAN Networking Meeting: Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and dreamin’.

At our last SDVAN meeting we did a brainstorming excercise. We started with the premise that we need more art leaders to make sure that all the wonderful projects generated over the last 10 years of brainstorming actually happen.. Simply put: What do we need to do to encourage more project leaders to launch more creative visual arts projects in SD?

The group was divided into two. Everyone was asked to look at a half glass of water and declare if it was half full or half empty

The Half Full group was asked to put on a critical hat and come up with 5 major things that are keeping people from being arts leaders

The Half Empty group was asked to be positive about 5 major things that would encourage people to be arts leaders.

Ten minutes for allocated for this exercise. Both groups were asked to narrow their list to 5 major categories.

What stops art leaders? – Half full participants: Karen, Angela, Naomi, Naimeh, Ellen, Marti and Diane

Mind set, lack of confidence, fear of failure

Money – paycheck and expenses

Lack of Time – spread too thin

Lack of support – communication with artists and/or team

Fear of inadequate Collaboration   and/or no knowledge of how to collaborate, desire for nurturing

How could arts leaders be encouraged? Half empty participants: Naimeh, Kaz, John

Art Projects offer -

Fun and intellectual stimulation

Self growth and expansion – including monetary gain

Networking outside of your own area, expansion of knowledge base – collaborations, partnerships

Project oriented time frame i.e.  task force instead of ongoing committee

Self empowerment and empowerments of others

We discussed this for 10 minutes and then each individual was asked to choose one item from the list of How could arts leaders be encouraged.  But they were asked to change their mindset and instead of themselves, choose one of the following persona to think about being an art leader:

As a person 100 years in the future
As a 15 year old

As a person in a south sea island
As Marilyn Monroe

As if you had superpowers

These additional motivations were generated.

Art Projects offer -

A creative artistic expression of its leader and an opportunity to be heard

A choice to work outside of the control of the norm. Some projects are rebellious acts.  

Recognition from other – self pride

A chance to develop priorities and think about urgencies of some issues

The importance of Legacy

Opportunities to be creative without resources by using volunteers, recycling and in kind donation

Utilization of the local as a route to expand globally,

A chance to be mentored and offer mentorship

Positive energy and good will – for the leader and the community = win win

Summary:

We compiled this list of the 14 motivations and they seem to fall into four categories

Self fulfillment

Socialization
Growth

Recognition

1. Fun and intellectual stimulation
2. Self growth and expansion – including monetary gain
3. Networking outside of your own area, expansion of knowledge base – collaborations, partnerships
4. Project oriented time frame i.e.  task force instead of ongoing committee
5. Self empowerment and empowerments of others
6. A creative artistic expression of its leader and an opportunity to be heard
7. A choice to work outside of the control of the norm. Some projects are rebellious acts.  
8. Recognition from others – self pride
9. A chance to develop priorities and think about urgencies of some issues
10. The importance of Legacy
11. Opportunities to be creative without resources by using volunteers, recycling and in kind donation
12. Utilization of the local as a route to expand globally,
13. A chance to be mentored and offer mentorship
14. Positive energy and good will – for the leader and the community = win win

 

My husband Darwin and I then worked to see how these motivation fits those categories. At this point we had to stop using left brain list and go to a right brain circular diagram which you can see at this link: Arts Leader Motiviations This list could be used for a job description for a calls for an arts leaders for paid and/or volunteer projects. We might use this to attract SDVAN project leaders or it could be modified for other arts job descriptions. It was suggested that we should pass on these ideas to LEAD and other leadership projects in SD including the SD Foundation

Appendix

As an example, here are the ideas generated by our imaginary 15 year old. We also had ideas from the other categories (i.e. future, island, and superpowers) except for Marilyn Monroe.

I am bored and getting into trouble, this project could be fun and keep me safe

I need something on my college application and this could help me get into the college of my choice.

If I could think of something cool, maybe I could get that gang to stop beating up on me, I need to find out what they like and want

I only have summer vacation to do this.

My mom would have to do what I said.

I could use my facebook to spread the word and even do a Kickstarter to fund it. I want everything to be interactive and use the latest technology and social media.
I like the idea of rebelling and this could be done within a project especially if it was outside of parental control.

I am young but maybe this project could last a long time and I could come back years later and see it.

I want my parents to be proud of me.
Heading a project where you can make a mess could be cool.

Can I get a date (expand my social network) though this leadership project?

One new project was suggested to enable Teens to be involved in the arts and aiding them in knowing where to go.  That concept was added to the list below that was previously generated.

Curator’s prize 
Rotating exhibition - museum guard, menu art, nail art, art of cooking, wedding alters 
Corporate/Private collector prize (add to art prize this year)
Art Limousine - VIPs attendance at art events
Advisory committee of PR Agency ladies
Decathlon of Art and Sport
Art Collectors Club
Mentoring of events by commissioner (delegate, councilpersons, County supervisors)
Art Ship of  Culture which travels up and down coast
United SD Art Council to promote SD Art statewide, nationwide and world wide
Made in San Diego sales program
Teen resources or art involvement – with high interactive element and using the latest technologies and social media apps

Brainstorming Techniques we used today included:

1.  Time Travel. How would you deal with this if you were in a different time period? 10 years ago? 100 years ago? 1,000 years ago? 10,000 years ago? How about in the future? 10 years later? 100 years later? 1,000 years later? 10,000 years later?
2. Teleportation: What if you were facing this problem in a different place? Different country? Different geographic region? Different universe? Different plane of existence? How would you handle it?
3. Iconic Figures. This is a spinoff of rolestorming. What if you were an iconic figure of the past? Buddha? Jesus? Krishna? Albert Einstein? Thomas Edison? Mother Theresa? Princess Diana? Winston Churchill? Adolf Hitler? How about the present? Barack Obama? Steve Jobs? Bill Gates? Warren Buffet? Steven Spielberg? Etc? How would you think about your situation?
4. Superpowers. This is another spinoff of rolestorming. What if you suddenly have superpowers? Superman? Spiderman? Wonderwoman? X-Men? The Hulk? One of the Fantastic Four? What would you do?

Respectfully submitted on Sept 9, 2013

Patricia Frischer, Coordinator 760 943 0148 San Diego Visual Arts Network  patricia@SDVisualArts.net