Join us for a conversation at the virtual Common Field 2020 convening with

Madison Cario (Portland, OR), and Matt Manalo (Houston, TX)

CENTRAL QUESTIONS + THEMES FROM OUR SESSION

Holding public space in a downtown urban environment presents challenges. Questions arise around being compassionate and creating safe boundaries within a community experiencing the effects of housing, opioid, mental health and climate change crises. How do organizations embody and model healthy behaviors within their neighborhoods? When is it appropriate to create boundaries for staff, creatives, audiences, etc so that they feel safe? Is it harmful to engage in social work type activities when staff are not trained in social work? This session will begin with an introduction by the presenters, and then moves into group conversation. The kaleidoscope conversation format is inherently participatory. It dissolves the “expert” versus “audience” boundary that often exists in traditional panels and empowers attendees to be actively engaged through collective questioning and sharing. The conversation will conclude with a reflection period in which everyone is invited to voice their responses to the session.

ABOUT THE CONVENING

The Common Field Convening – originally scheduled to take place in Houston, TX from April 23 - 26, 2020 – moves online in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In this unprecedented situation, there remains an urgent need to stay connected, build knowledge from the field and create a growing set of broadly-shared resources accessible to all. To that end, registration for this year’s virtual Convening is FREE. All sessions will take place virtually on Zoom. The Convening is a critical platform for artists organizations and organizers from across the US.

Learn more about COMMON FIELD