Empowering local artists and communities

Is able to catalyze communities toward intentional action, such as autogenic research and planning for the future of their artistic expressions.

EthnoArts personnel desire to see communities and artists making well-informed and independent choices about their culture, artistic expressions, community, and future. Rather than making decisions for a community, EthnoArts workers desire to encourage and support them with information, research, and tools. While EthnoArts personnel usually highly value the most local expressions of art for their uniqueness and value and may communicate that when and where it is appropriate to do so, they also respect the community’s authority to be the final decision-makers and gatekeepers. Whether the EthnoArts person is serving cross-culturally or working within their own culture (or a closely related one), sensitivity is needed to respect and honor relationships and culture, allowing everyone to have a voice in the decision-making process. Autogenic approaches (Saurman 2013) involves the insider’s own engagement in researching and reflecting on their own cultural art forms. The EthnoArts worker advocates to spark, encourage, or assist individuals or a group in this autogenic process. The process should be internally motivated in at least some aspects so that it can grow organically into benefiting the community in a sustainable process.

Autogenic approaches

No Competency:
1. read the Creating Local Arts Together (CLAT manual), especially steps 2 and 5
Has knowledge about:
1. Applied Arts course at DIU, Payap (or similar)
2. Observe and learn from a mentor with experience empowering local artists
3. Train others in how to do research and documentation instead of doing these things for the community.
Can do with Assistance:
1. Try CLAT Step 5 catalyzing activities in a community, and learn from the experiences (successes and failures)
2. Teach community members the CLAT process
3. Assist in a creation workshop
Can do independently:
1. Organize, coordinate and facilitate a creation workshop

Cross-cultural communication

No Competency:
1. Learn and practice good listening skills
Has knowledge about:
1. Spend a lengthy amount of time immersed in a community, learning about their arts (see Local-led Experience in a Community)
2. Read Spradley The Ethnographic Interview
Can do with Assistance:
1. Read Ott Teaching Across Cultures
Can do independently:

Analyzing a community's arts

No Competency:
1. read CLAT Step 1 and work on an Initial Community Arts List with the community's involvement
Has knowledge about:
1. Attend Arts for a Better Future
2. Take EthnoArts Analysis course at DIU, Payap (or similar)
Can do with Assistance:
1. T.A. EthnoArts Analysis course
2. Write analysis article on a community's art form
Can do independently:
1. Become an Arts for a Better Future facilitator

Participatory Methods and Adult Learning Principles

No Competency:
1. read books and articles about Appreciative Inquiry and Participatory Methods
Has knowledge about:
1. Learn about Participatory Methods (PMEC) and Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in a workshop or course
2. Take Applied EthnoArts course at DIU, Payap (or similar)
Can do with Assistance:
1. Aim for standards encouraged by PMEC (Participatory Methods for Encouraging Communities, which is part of LEAD).
2. Take a course in mentoring from Mentoring Matters.
Can do independently: