Metro Arts FY2019 Annual Report Final

EQUIPPING
ARTISTS
Seniors from Elizabeth Park Community Center visit Cheekwood with Learning Lab Artist Kristen Chapman during Chapman's residency
with the center.
L E A R N I N G L A B
Created with the idea of bringing artists' unique
skills to agencies and organizations, Learning Lab
trains artists in civic, social and placemaking
practices. Founded in 2016, the program helps
artists deepen their knowledge around
equitable, community-based work and creates
capacity for neighborhood transformation
through the arts.
This fiscal year, Learning Lab graduates had the
opportunity to pursue residency partnerships with
community agencies.
“Simone and Aaron infused
our Community Health
Assessment process with a
strong community voice as
well as a more art-focused
view of our work. They
created art-focused strategies
to help gather community and
participant input during our
Healthy Nashville Summit.
Artist Kristen Chapman worked with Metro Social
Services at Metro Parks' Elizabeth Park Community
Center, to give voice to the seniors who consider it a
second home. Aaron Doenges and M. Simone Boyd
partnered with Metro Public Health to examine
disparities in health data across Nashville zip codes.
Both residencies demonstrate the unique set of
skills artists can bring to agencies: visualization,
problem solving, and reflecting the community's
needs and concerns. Learning Lab was named one
of Americans for the Arts' Best Public Art
programs of 2018 in the Public Art Network Year
in Review.
We will be looking for other
opportunities to invite local
artists to the multitude of
public health conversations."
Tracy F. Buck, M.S., RDN
Division Director, Community
Development & Planning
Metro Public Health
Department.
22
Metro Arts Annual Report FY2019