Common Ground projects are large scale and long-term collaborations which bring people together across economic, generational, and cultural lines. Projects emphasize meaningful dialogue, artistic innovation, community building, renewed connections, social transformation, capacity building and shared vision. Typically several months to several years in duration, these projects bring together community participants, affiliate artists, community organizers, and partner organizations to create community specific work that honors both the wisdom of each individual and the specific expressions and needs of each community. Common Ground projects have shown that participatory creative exchange cultivates shared experience (across racial, economic, generational, cultural and ideological lines) that promotes individual and community empowerment, empathy, compassion, social inclusion, and a renewed sense of human dignity.
The first phase of each project begins with a series of conversations between Littleglobe artists and potential project partners. Littleglobe artists spend a great deal of time cultivating relationships. These acts of deep listening, growing relationships, and witnessing informs the shape of each project and is central to the creative practice. Littleglobe then identifies community coordinators and affiliate artists that will join the core team of the project.
The second phase begins with a series of community workshops in a variety of creative mediums held in schools, senior centers, or other community centers. Participation does not require prior experience. With an emphasis on family participation an intergenerational ensemble is formed. Each participant receives support in the form of an honorarium, gas vouchers, food at sessions, and childcare support. During this phase, a firm sense of trust develops amongst the members of the ensemble, to the point that participants feel comfortable both engaging in lighthearted play and sharing serious issues of community significance.
The workshops culminates in the development of a collaborative creative work, whose form and content has been determined by the needs and desires of the community participants. This creative work, be it a performance, an installation, a film, or a festival, is then shared with the larger community.
Community capacity building and fostering long-term partnership support to the community is vital to the project. Participants experience a lasting sense of ownership, a strong sense of community, and greater esteem for themselves and others. Participants from previous projects often join new projects as mentors and Littleglobe is constantly creating on-going opportunities for engagement and mentorship.
COMMON GROUND NEW MEXICO
Littleglobe is currently developing a series of statewide Common Ground projects in New Mexico in partnership with The National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Littleglobe believes that New Mexico’s wealth lies in the richness and diversity of its multi-ethnic, economically diverse, and inter-generational population. By reaching across the boundaries that divide us, New Mexicans can build stronger and healthier communities based on a foundation of mutual compassion and mutual respect. In 2008 launched its first Common Ground project in rural New Mexico. Commissioned by the NM Arts and Social Justice Commitee and in partnership with The Lensic Performing Arts Center and The Southwest Organizing Project, Littleglobe chose to base its first rural collaboration in the small town of Cuba and the two eastern Diné (Navajo) villages of Ojo Encino and Torreon. These interrelated communities and deeply affected by racism, poverty and homelessness. The struggle to survive reinforces differences between these communities, and yet they share a basic desire for connection and growth.
COMMON GROUND NEW MEXICO CREATIVE PRACTICE
Each Common Ground project involves months of collaborative work with community participants that enables them to safely explore their personal stories, unique expressions, as well as the difficult issues that divide them. Out of this shared experience, life-affirming connections are made, empowering the community to undertake a range of community development projects.
PROJECT ELEMENTS
• Partner with a New Mexico community based on extensive conversations, partnership building, and communities assesment
• Collaborate with schools, health care workers, community organizers, civic leaders, and others for guidance about community issues and needs, as well as project design
• Identify local artists and coordinators to serve as paid collaborators on the project
• Conduct on-going sessions or intensives with community participants who creatively explore issues of significance such as identity, family, heritage, history and community.
• Create and share a community “work” (installation, performance, festival, etc.) that reflects the stories, , expressions, perspectives and dreams of the community ensemble.
• Engage the community ensemble in the process of identifying concrete community needs with the support of additional partners.
• Support a collaborative leadership team from ensemble members to develop projects through trainings in cultural leadership including dialogue, conflict engagement, program development and coordination, and fundraising.
• Connect Common Ground New Mexico communities for mutual support, sharing of expertise, inter-community projects, and integrate participants as Littleglobe interns and artists.
