Art in Other Places: Artists at Work in America's Community and Social Institutions

"Following an introduction that sets forth these views, the book provides case studies for the people concerned: elderly in the nursing home or elsewhere; prisoners; people with disabilities; people with mental illness; the hospitalized (where art as a healing medium is emphasized); youth at risk; and the community members at large. Individual artists are introduced in each setting, and their work is described."-Art, Architecture, and Urban Design "While art has most often been construed as self-expression, Bill Cleveland's portrait of 22 arts programs chronicles the emergence of art as a vehicle for social change."-YES! A Journal of Positive Futures ?While art has most often been construed as self-expression, Bill Cleveland's portrait of 22 arts programs chronicles the emergence of art as a vehicle for social change.?-YES! A Journal of Positive Futures ?Following an introduction that sets forth these views, the book provides case studies for the people concerned: elderly in the nursing home or elsewhere; prisoners; people with disabilities; people with mental illness; the hospitalized (where art as a healing medium is emphasized); youth at risk; and the community members at large. Individual artists are introduced in each setting, and their work is described.?-Art, Architecture, and Urban Design "Bill Cleveland made it possible for me to produce Prisoners, a documentary about the lives of men and women behind bars in California. This book and his work in 'other places' show not only a concern for the human condition, but how we can improve it. He is one of our unsung heroes."- Jonathan Borofsky Artist "The stories in this book concern what is possible when we and our creative capacities are challenged and nurtured: crises become opportunities, the outcast and neglected are empowered, our communities are transformed and, most importantly, we lead lives of integrity, vision, passion, and action!"-John Vasconcellos Assemblyman, Twenty-Third District California Legislature "Art in Other Places presents the compelling story of heroic artists striving to empower unlikely others to make meaning of their lives through art: to give aesthetic form to daily experience--no matter how hard. William Cleveland's passion for this pursuit, his understanding of this brave territory, and his respect for its heroes frame and direct these inspirational narratives."-Jessica Davis, EdM, EdD Director, Project Co-Arts at Harvard Project Zero Art in Other Places grew out of a 1986 meeting held at the University of California at Los Angeles among artists and community activists from around the United States. At that point, some of them had been working for twenty or more years as artists in social institutions - senior centers, hospitals, prisons, mental health facilities, youth centers - or in low-income communities. Author William Cleveland writes of that gathering's importance to him (then director of the ArtReach Program in Sacramento, California) in building a ..".small network of like-minded artists, whose work has had a major impact on cultural policy and practice in this country." Some of the book's entries are based on the artists and activists' presentations at the UCLA gathering, and some on interviews conducted later. Several of the artists - like choreographer Liz Lerman and muralist Judith Baca - have become famous for this work. --Frances Phillips, Walter and Elise Haas Fund "Grantmakers in the Arts Reader: Volume 11, No. 2, Fall 2000 " Bill Cleveland has crafted a work of art in this book--not an object that you hang on a wall or place on a shelf, but a piece of process art that you can take into the streets and use to change the way people live their lives. He makes me feel again my own sense of purpose, a sense I felt myself, working in these same settings. Art in Other Places reminds me of why I am in the arts. --Robert Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts When I was Chairman of the California Arts Council, we entreated artists to contribute their creativity and imaginations to the broadest spectrum of public life. Art in Other Places tells the story of these artists. Bill Cleveland tells it well and truthfully. --Peter Coyote, Actor, Director Bill Cleveland's passion for this pursuit, his understanding of this brave territory, and his respect for its heroes frame and direct these inspirational narratives. --Jessica Davis, Harvard Project Zero Bill Cleveland made it possible for me to produce Prisoners, a documentary about the lives of men and women behind bars in California. This book and his work in other places show, not only concern for the human condition, but how we can improve it. He is one of our unsung heroes. --Jonathan Borofsky, Artist Art in Other Places is an important addition to the expanding body of work on community arts...Cleveland has collected some heartwarming stories from the deeply committed people who should be our role models. This book is about people who have found the strength to change their lives through the arts that have escaped the white walls into those others places where we all live. --Lucy R. Lippard, Writer, Critic Bill Cleveland has crafted a work of art in this book not an object that you hang on a wall or place on a shelf, but a piece of process art that you can take into the streets and use to change the way people live their lives. He makes me feel again my own sense of purpose, a sense I felt myself, working in these same settings. Art in Other Places reminds me of why I am in the arts.--Robert Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts" Art in Other Places grew out of a 1986 meeting held at the University of California at Los Angeles among artists and community activists from around the United States. At that point, some of them had been working for twenty or more years as artists in social institutions senior centers, hospitals, prisons, mental health facilities, youth centers or in low-income communities. Author William Cleveland writes of that gathering's importance to him (then director of the ArtReach Program in Sacramento, California) in building a " small network of like-minded artists, whose work has had a major impact on cultural policy and practice in this country." Some of the book's entries are based on the artists and activists' presentations at the UCLA gathering, and some on interviews conducted later. Several of the artists like choreographer Liz Lerman and muralist Judith Baca have become famous for this work.--Frances Phillips, Walter and Elise Haas Fund "Grantmakers in the Arts Reader: Volume 11, No. 2, Fall 2000 "" When I was Chairman of the California Arts Council, we entreated artists to contribute their creativity and imaginations to the broadest spectrum of public life. Art in Other Places tells the story of these artists. Bill Cleveland tells it well and truthfully.--Peter Coyote, Actor, Director Bill Cleveland's passion for this pursuit, his understanding of this brave territory, and his respect for its heroes frame and direct these inspirational narratives.--Jessica Davis, Harvard Project Zero Bill Cleveland made it possible for me to produce Prisoners, a documentary about the lives of men and women behind bars in California. This book and his work in other places show, not only concern for the human condition, but how we can improve it. He is one of our unsung heroes.--Jonathan Borofsky, Artist Art in Other Places is an important addition to the expanding body of work on community arts...Cleveland has collected some heartwarming stories from the deeply committed people who should be our role models. This book is about people who have found the strength to change their lives through the arts that have escaped the white walls into those others places where we all live.--Lucy R. Lippard, Writer, Critic

During the past 15 years, artists have established a remarkable record of innovation and success in institutional settings. Their work with hospital patients, prisoners, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill, and others has shown that the arts can have a significant positive impact on the lives of these people. This book recounts the histories of 22 institutional and community arts programs across the country pioneering this approach through activities such as creative writing and the performing and visual arts. Consisting largely of first-hand accounts, the book demonstrates how the creative processes have been used to address and solve some of society's most pressing problems. Included are case studies, research, and descriptions of the wide variety of artistic, educational, and therapeutic approaches utilized by each of the 22 programs. Also described are many of the financial and political strategies used to build and sustain support for these unlikely endeavors. This work will provide valuable insights for artists, educators, social service providers, and community leaders.