Farmlab Hosts 'Imagining America' Conference Session

Imagining America, a national consortium of colleges and universities committed to public scholarship in the arts, humanities, and design came to Farmlab to host a program titled, "Voices from The Cultural Battlefront."

The afternoon opened with a drum circle Under Spring, and from there the group split up into smaller groups to tackle ideas of public art, engaging community, and a artists role in both. Community members from across the country traveled to Los Angeles for the three day conference, which was supported by the University of Southern California and the Commission of Cultural Affairs.

One of the overriding questions for the conference at large was, "How can we better engage the community we are working with in a positive way, and how does this inform our work as community artists?" Experts from various disciplines attending the conference, including Linda Frye Burnham, founder of CAN (Community Arts Network), and Jan Cohen Cruz, current Director of Imagining America and Professor at Tisch School of the Arts in New York.

The Farmlab-hosted program ended on a high note -- literally -- with a live performance from a jazz band hailing from Philadelphia and a feast of Cuban food. Many thanks to both James Burkes, the event organizer, and to The Center for Caribbean Culture in New York City.

Photo caption: Imagining America conference attendees, at Farmlab
Photo credit: Amanda Shumate / Farmlab