nothin Cultural Equity Task Force Seeks To Include… | New Haven Independent

Cultural Equity Task Force Seeks To Include More Of City In The Arts

Maya McFadden Photo

Anderson Curtis at Tuesday event.

A new city cultural equity task force” is looking to get people to think of more than Downtown” when they think of arts in New Haven.

This task force is a part of a plan spearheaded by city government’s Arts, Cultural Affairs & Tourism Department. Last February Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs Adriane Jefferson recommitted the department to a rebranding and more people focused mission” of cultural equity, anti-racism, and inclusion.

Jefferson joined other task force members and city staffers outside of City Hall Tuesday to officially announce the cultural equity plan and its next steps. 

Adriane Jefferson.

Jefferson partnered with the Arts Council of Greater New Haven Executive Director Daniel Fitzmaurice on the plan. The duo hired two consultant firms, The Civic Impact Lab and Hester Street to help the department develop an official Racial Equity Statement created with the input of New Haveners.

The consultants are currently working with the task force to gather a diverse range of input for the statement, which has the goal of holding the department accountable for being inclusive.

As the team continues to develop the Cultural Equity Plan, the department is focusing additional efforts on cultural equity with an arts for anti racism pledge” and a partnership with
The Greater New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund.

Cultural Equity team gathering in person for first time.

The task force includes 14 New Haven-based artists, residents, activists, and community leaders.

Task force member Tagan Engel said she hopes to see the task force’s input help to make a how to guide of how to do cultural equity.”

Jefferson said the city must also tackle its lack of local venue spaces for low-income artists. Free or subsidy options should be offered at venues, she said.

Arts and culture was included in Mayor Justin Elicker’s Summer reset” plan proposal charting the use of $6.3 million in federal Covid-19 relief.

Eric Rey, Elizabeth Nearing, and Johnny Shively

The Civic Impact Lab members Elizabeth Nearing, Eric Rey, and Johnny Shively joined the Tuesday gathering to encourage the public to participate in phase two of the plan to get the community to define culture. One definition for culture formed from a task force member was the color, flavor, and sounds of our lives,” Rey said.

Anderson Curtis.

I’ve lived in New Haven most of my life, yet this is the first invitation I recall I’ve gotten to equity. My life experience is more about inequity than equity,” said task force member Anderson Curtis.

The second phase of the plan will focus on getting input from the community with two imaging sessions. The sessions will be hosted via Zoom to listen to the communities input about cultural equity. The session will be hosted May 18 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m (register here) and May 22 from 12 p.m to 2 p.m (register here).

The team will also collect input from the public from a survey this month that will be shared on the department’s Facebook page. Residents can also share thoughts for the plan via email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) or at (203) 951- 9208.

Patrick Dunn.

Fifteen years ago Patrick Dunn made a pit stop in New Haven while traveling to New York. Dunn ended up falling in love with the local arts culture and stayed in New Haven. 

Dunn today is the Executive Director of the New Haven Pride Center. He said he joined the task force to help make the arts more inclusive.

I’m often told what I do for art as a queer person is not art to the rest of the world,” he said.

When he performs as a drag queen at local bars downtown, Dunn said, those spaces that are not considered arts venues sometimes employ more artists than some of our stages.” Dunn said New Haven arts needs to be more accessible and inclusive.

The plan is scheduled to be completed by the end of this summer.

Luis Chaves-Burnell.

New Haven native Luis Chaves-Burnell, deputy director of the New Haven Free Public Library, is also a member of the task force. Chaves-Burnell joined the task force to ensure all youth have the same opportunities he had.

Cultural equity is about improving people’s quality of life,” he said.

City Officials Announce Cultural Equity Plan, Task Force

Posted by New Haven Independent on Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for One City Dump

Avatar for CityYankee2

Avatar for NHPS family

Avatar for Elmshaker