School of Education at Johns Hopkins University-New Horizons

http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons/

Josh Addison
805-746-2818
josh@bellartsfactory.org

Arts Learning and the Creative Economy

http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/arts/yantis.htm

Josh Addison
805-746-2818
josh@bellartsfactory.org

Dusty Corners

Hmmm.... this place needs a bit of tidying up, a brush a mop and a bucket. (Funny, I typed mob instead of mop... hope it's not an angry one, either mop or mob!)

Brought home a postcard from the Happiest Place on Earth with Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's the kind that changes as you move it in the light. He looks so happy with his new discovery, a new mop, one of many. Watch out Mickey!!

Hard to know what to say...

I had big plans to reply to the loads of excellent replies to my posts last week. A few days got by me, and then Thursday was a very much different day than I could have ever imagined.

For all of the family and friends of Davina and Brock and their kids, and for this beach community, I am so sorry for our loss of love, life, and imagined sanctuary. Give someone you love a hug, a good long hug, and deepen your commitment to doing what you know is right. We have loads of work to do. I am very grateful for all the loving people in my life. I am grateful living in our community. This illness and violence deepens my commitment to working together to make things better.

I remember picking up our girls after kindergarten one day and chatting with Davina. Now her kids, and lots and lots of other kids, need adults to do the right thing, to work to make the world a better, safer place. My thanks to all of you who are doing exactly that.

Thank you Michele for nurturing the kids at Bell Arts Factory. Thank you Lynne for caring at the Art Barn. Thank you Mb for teaching in the juvenile jail school. Thank you Della for loving our daughters. Thank you Moses for making our dreams come true. Thank you Mom and Dad for insisting on excellence and loving your family and community so much.

Friday I was in shock. Over the weekend I was sad and angry. Yesterday I was depressed. Today, I am grateful. Now I am aware of what I have to do. What we have to do. I don't know exactly what to say... I sense the shape of what needs to be done. Putting fear aside and carrying on.

Poppies by Mb Hanrahan

Communications and Social Media

Hello there,

As you are reading this, either you visited my blog, this post was e-mailed to you, or you subscribed to my blog. This is part of my effort to communicate inclusively and be open to feedback.

With so many communication options available, it's important to let you choose how you tune in. I've heard from people feeling they may be missing important bits not being on facebook, but choosing not to join, which I understand. They asked would I please continue sending notices via e-mail.

Our major notices do go out via e-mail lists, and I still use e-mail a lot myself. Admittedly though, there is a lot of dialog happening on facebook. I am also broadcasting and direct messaging on twitter.

Here's the way I look at it. I'm not going to shout in a field to invite you to my wedding -- you'll get an invite in your mail box. So expect e-mails for important notices. Still, you might want to consider wandering out into the field, we are having some excellent conversations there, and your voice would be valued. And you might just get the scoop on the after party. ; )

Bellartsfactory.org is an excellent resource. We have some work to do in clarifying how the different parts of our organization fit together. We can refine and tune our web and print strategies. Yet from say a year ago, we have made enormous progress.

The term Social Media may or may not carry meaning for you. The idea is that opening up the conversation to more voices creates value. I am experiencing this as true. I remain committed to an open, inclusive frame of mind myself, and to an open and inclusive process. Social media suits that.

I look forward to our productive dialog. Chime in on whatever channel suits you, and share and add to the tasty stew we are creating. Talk to one another. Open up the conversation.

Please comment on this blog, I am happy to hear from you here. Or, as you wish:

Facebook: http://profile.to/joshua_addison/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Joshua_Addison/

E-mail: josh@bellartsfactory.org

I deeply appreciate your many generous contributions of time, energy and treasure to Bell Arts Factory. You are making our project work and grow. And without you, it really is just another building.

Joshua Addison

Reflecting on the year so far

Interesting in May to reflect back on earlier this year, when I set up this blog and we started our digital campaign. The redesigned website and the email marketing campaign worked well to improve the image and more effectively spread the word. Attendance at our events through the spring is well up from last year, especially First Fridays. Also we just have more going on in general, with Vita Art Center open, the Tool Room Gallery actively rotating shows, movie nights at MbUniverse, and more events, like the New West Symphony gig, going on in the Community Room.

Still lots of hours open for more going on in the CR. Heard from Rosel on Friday that the Charter school up the Ave. might be interested in having some educational time in there. Also as Vita's schedule grows they could use some time. The yoga and tai chi classes are seeing increasing attendance. So gradually it grows.

My deep gratitude to all the people who are giving so much loving kindness to the Bell Arts Factory project. Our community needs healing, and that is some of what is happening at our place.