Are you an aspiring blogger or cultural policy wonk? An artist, activist or arts professional interested in joining the cutting edge of cultural thinking?

Then you’ll want to tune into our blog salon Cultural Policy 101 – April 11-15 and Reframing the Arts Workshop – April 16.

Cultural Policy 101 : A Blog Salon
Arts funding seems to be perpetually in crisis, but lately, the crisis has escalated. But the truth is, 30 years of relying on economic arguments and “support the arts” slogans have yielded a decline in the real value of NEA funding of more than half. This year’s NEA budget would have to be $400 million just to equal the spending power of 1980.

It’s time to enlarge the debate.

To respond to this conversation, Emerging Arts Professionals and the Oakland Museumwill host a conversation on this issue. Cultural Policy 101 will leverage the voices of Oakland arts leaders to discuss how we can move from a failed strategy to one that captures the true power, scope, and promise of the public interest in culture.

Our salon will feature writers, activists and arts professionals such as Arlene Goldbard(writer, activist, blogger), Randolph Belle (Support Oakland Artists), Nancy Hernandez(Program Manager, Estria Foundation), Sanjit Sethi (Director, Center for Art in Public Life, CCA), Jacinda Abcarian (Executive Director, Youth Radio), Kenji Liu (Writer, Graphic designer, Cultural Worker), Kristi Holohan and Ara Jo (Rock Paper Scissors Collective), Susan Mernit (Editor/Publisher Oakland Local and media entrepreneur), and Eboni Hawkins ( Artistic Director, see. think. dance.)

You can participate by visiting the blog daily at emergingsf.org April 11-15 for updated postings, and please comment often! We want you to be a part of this important conversation. What is the public interest in culture? Do we want to promote equity? Active participation in community life? Expand opportunity for marginalized voices? Beautify the built environment, creating sites of public memory that speak to everyone? For more information about how you can participate, go to emergingsf.org.

Reframing the Arts: Advocating for the Public Interest in Culture
April 16, 2011, 1-4pm
Oakland Museum, James Moore Theatre
FREE
Register Here: http://reframingthearts.eventbrite.com/

If you’re energized by the blog salon and want to delve deeper into these issues we invite you to Reframing the Arts: Advocating for the Public Interest in Culture April 16th 1p-4p in the James Moore Theatre of Oakland Museum.

In this highly interactive workshop led by Arlene Goldbard you will have the opportunity to work in small teams. Participants will explore this cultural policy issue from many angles and build a composite picture of the way arts, culture and its value are currently understood. Participants will also be able to discover the values, stories, images, and metaphors that have the potential to effectively reframe this debate. It’s advocacy for the future and its starts with you. We hope you can join us.

Reframing The Arts: Advocating for The Public Interest in Culture April 16th 1p-4p in the James Moore Theatre of Oakland Museum.
This program is free, but please register at http://reframingthearts.eventbrite.com/

And don’t forget about Friday First – Sight
Friday, April 1, 6-9pm

Join us for Sight at the Palace of Fine Arts and the Exploratorium as we delve into the fun of art making without sight. Challenge the way you look at the world – use your intuition, instinct and your other senses. Join us for a blind photography challenge, where you will photograph what is around you in blindfolds; continue looking into a world without sight in the Exploratorium’s Tactile Dome – an interactive excursion through total darkness, where your sense of touch becomes your only guide. Afterwards, join us for drinks, and look through the “blind” photographs taken during the evening. Please join us for this “sensational” experience!