Common Field Convening 2021: Sustaining Futures | November 4 - 13
Common Field (https://www.commonfield.org/) connects, supports and advocates for the artist-centered field by providing a national network for independent arts organizations and organizers. Elsewhere is proud to be a founding member of Common Field.
Their annual convening showcases critical developments in the field and is an opportunity to connect with other artists and arts workers. We highly recommend participating in any way you can.
From their website:
“The 2021 Convening welcomes our Partners, Network, and larger communities of practice to share, explore, and exchange thinking, dreaming, and strategizing towards the kinds of futures we want to hold together. (An in-depth schedule with individual session and presenter information can be found via the Program button below.)
This year’s program areas are shaped to consider how Common Field’s Convening and its resources can best serve our communities’ current needs. As always, our Convening included a juried Open Call for session proposals from our Network—and, this year, we were pleased to accept 16 proposals for workshops, panels, discussions, and more. We also shifted our Scholarship program to offer a Support Grant to participants who required financial support to offset costs associated with lost income, childcare, technology, and other barriers to virtual attendance, in addition to free Convening registration.
In the months leading up to the Convening, we have also been working closely with our National Partners to organize and shape the rest of this year’s exciting program. With our Partner AS220, we are pleased to offer a series of free, virtual Pre-Convening Programs focusing on professional development in the context of organizational transformation and change. Our Partners Racing Magpie, Wide Awakes and Martina Dodd curated a selection of artists for our new Convening Fellowship program—each invited fellow receiving funds to support both their ongoing work and individual contributions to this year’s Convening program. Martina Dodd also invited the Brooklyn-based collective metaDEN to design and facilitate a series of care and rest sessions meant to nurture our hearts and bodies over the course of this virtual gathering. Finally, Convening Partner S Rodriguez has organized a lively party meant to lift our spirits and close out this year’s event in style on Saturday, Nov 13.
Speaking of, also new this year is our Marquee Project, a packet of materials and information full of contributions from Fellows, Partners, and Network members—including our annual Convening Publication, curated and edited by our Partner, Center for Afrofuturist Studies,and an interactive workbook to use throughout your Convening experience.”
