PURPOSE
We are committed to exploring the intersection of cultural data with equity and industry, individual challenges around data in the Bay Area, and the roles and solutions a Cultural Data Network might serve. We invite the sector to engage in generative, poignant, open-ended conversations to move the sector forward. We believe that data is a means, not the end, for telling our stories, and work to better make the connection between data and authentic storytelling. We seek to build or modify existing resources and to act as a central hub for these learnings and conversations.
BACKGROUND
DataArts started convening region-specific networks to explore the concept and practice of Cultural Data. By 2017 there were Cultural Data Networks in Massachusetts and New Jersey, and the idea had been planted to bring together a Bay Area Network. EAP and DataArts started with an exploratory call in January of that year and identified equity, data access, and data coordination as possible tactics, goals, and resources; the group comprised of members from grassroots and established cultural and arts institutions and decided to start meeting in February 2017. At that first in-person meeting we sought to unpack three questions, world cafe style: What does cultural equity look like when collecting data? What Roles and/or Solutions Could a Cultural Data Network Provide to the Bay Area? What are Industry & Individual Challenges around data in the Bay Area? The outcome from these first two conversations lead to the decision to form the Bay Area Cultural Data Network as an action-oriented collaborative network focused on the activities and explorations and with the guiding principles named here.
ACTIVITIES / EXPLORATIONS
- Issues of equity around the collection and use of cultural data/using cultural data to advance equity
- Working definition of Data and Culture
- Empowering the sector with data for storytelling
- Share stories of how different cultural data users: storyteller, funder, marketing, artists, small arts orgs, folks outside the arts
- Creating and supporting a centralized resource for cultural data in the Bay Area
PRINCIPLES
- Use specific examples and definitions when discussing data and culture
- Cultural equity is at the center of our work, this means centering historically marginalized experiences and voices in decision making, representation, and advocacy
- We seek to acknowledge the current Cultural Data paradigm so that we can push for a paradigm shift towards equity
- Data is a tool for storytelling, the stories are the focus not the data points themselves
- Qualitative is just as important to gather and share as quantitative data
- Shared leadership is a core value of this group, we will have rotating note taker and facilitation duties
FOUNDING MEMBERS
- Michelle Higgins, DataArts
- Rhiannon Evans MacFadyen, Emerging Arts Professionals San Francisco Bay Area
- Katherin Canton, ABBA & Emerging Arts Professionals San Francisco Bay Area
- Anne Huang, World Arts West
- Natasha, Foundation Center (west)
- Summer Hirtzel, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
- Wayne Hazzard, Dancer’s Group
- Barbara Mumby, San Francisco Arts Commission
- Jason Wyman, Artist/Consultant
- Kevin Seaman, Artist/Consultant
- Christy Bergman, Data Scientist
