art/vision/voice - Maryland Institute College of Art

From the perspective of a community partner
who has worked with the Community Arts
Partnerships program at mica for three years,
I am intrigued and impressed by the efforts
made by this historically renowned arts
institution to answer the clarion call to go
into its community, its city, and surrounding
areas to help make art relevant and interesting
to under-served populations.
The reciprocal learning opportunities on
the part of art students and their community
participants can bring stunning and startling
revelations to both. Narrow cultural biases
often hold us hostage in our attitudes and
behavior. Firsthand exposure to the lives of
those who are socially, culturally, and
economically different from us will dissipate
fears and misconceptions and build bridges of
understanding.
The integration and availability of quality art
programs in under-served communities in
Baltimore, particularly in the city’s public
school system, is minimal. There are very few
places where artistic ability and interest in
children, youth, and adults are identified,
nurtured, and encouraged. The mica cap
program provides an introduction to the
visual arts for at-risk youth, offers
opportunities for community participants to
explore varied media and the challenge of
creative expression, and allows community
members to interact with developing and
caring art students.
For these efforts, which are also fraught with
growing pains, the administration of mica,
the leadership and faculty of cap should be
applauded.
commentary, analysis, response 119
A Community Partner’s View of mica’s cap Program
Sandi McFadden
Importance of a Good Orientation for Students
As the mica case narrative reveals, it is
imperative that cap students working in
under-served communities receive a balanced
orientation. Typically, a cap student who
attends mica may come from a privileged
background; may be unfamiliar with racial,
social, and cultural diversity; and may have a
minimal understanding of the community
where he or she will work or its relationship
to Baltimore as a whole. This profile reflects a
person who may have a distinct disadvantage
in working with a population usually
unfamiliar except through rap music and
sports—a highly limited exposure.
A balanced orientation should include
the vital statistics and signs of the community,
and information about youth participants.
Community assets, not liabilities, should be
stressed during this time so students will not
be daunted, frightened, or shocked by a toonegative
view of the community. While
negatives exist, and should be acknowledged,
they should be contextualized within the
framework of the total community: housing,
health, families, churches, teens, schools, and
what progress is being made to revitalize the
neighborhood. Students should understand
that dangers exist, but so do good people trying
to make a difference.
Making the Best of the Space—and What’s In a
Name?
Donated space is terrific, but not if it can’t
meet your program needs. The over-sized
space available for the mica program might
have been a good problem for the art class to