Patricia MacLean’s Post

In sport, ‘excellence’ is well-understood as an absolutely essential prerequisite. Many policy makers, arts council members, and dumbing-down academics prefer that the arts are kept in a state of enforced mediocrity at best, by rejecting the concept of excellence. Real standards in the arts would reveal how threadbare are the basic skills of many of those today who claim their work is more important than the masterpieces of the past - but want to avoid others having the chance to experience the latter, in which context their own work will be seen as wanting. As Catherine Bennett points out: ‘Hint for funding applicants: engage, as Stalin also used to recommend, “with the stories of the contemporary nation”; avoid “excellence” and its synonyms. “Terms like excellence,” the ACE authors advise, “are indicative of the way in which opera and music theatre still retains unhelpful hierarchies about what kinds of work are valued.” “Good”, while permissible, should appear in inverted commas.’ https://lnkd.in/esqvRzEH

NEW EPISODE! In our fascination with #STEM education, are we losing something vital by squeezing out the arts. It is precisely in its rich and diverse #aliveness perhaps that music, and other arts, hold so much possibility. Check out this week's conversation with the incredible Eric Dozier! With a couple of stunning songs performed by Eric too! Eric and Tim talk about: 🎵 How does music connect us with ourselves? 🎶 How does music connect us with each other, and build community? 🎵 How does music offer other ways of knowing and transferring cultural knowledge? 🎶 How do black and indigenous cultural ways of knowing get marginalised by white supremacy culture? 🎵 What does it mean for a teacher (like a choirleader) to hold space for transformation? Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eyWrDa_H

If I said, we need to talk about white supremacy, you’d all think of some horrific far right groups wearing pointy hats, right? Definitely not something that any of us are complicit in. And yet, that’s exactly why we need to talk about it. I’ve only just started this book by Prof. Nathan Holder and originally I was going to wait until I’d finished before sharing, but frankly it’s too important for that. This book explores our long (long) held beliefs about how and what we teach in western music education and how that is almost always through a very white (and often colonial) lense. It’s uncomfortable, as the best challenges should be, but reminds us to constantly ask ourselves WHY we teach something a particular way, and perhaps “just because that’s they way we always have” isn’t the right answer anymore. And, ultimately, how to better serve the young people around us. Genuinely, a must-read. Bravo Nate. I’ll post the link to purchase below.

Check out this insightful blog post on the history of New Order's "Ceremony" and "In A Lonely Place"! Gain a deeper understanding of these iconic songs and their significance in the band's evolution. Follow the link to read more: https://lnkd.in/edPyRKbC.

In our most recent public history talk, We had the privilege of experiencing a powerful sonic presentation by Nombuso Mathibela, that brought us to a space of understanding memory work as healing breath, medicine, and intimacy. Our guest also stated that for her, defining the role of a cultural worker and archivist was in the context of understanding, “what the role of culture is in the production of human life.” That it was in giving attention to, “who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be.” You can find more about the conversation and the full video in the below reflection titled,"Soundscapes: Archives as Extensions, Inscriptions, and Reinventions of Ourselves." https://lnkd.in/dAJzMibt

Exciting news! Learn how Dusty Springfield transformed the landscape of the 1960s in our latest blog post, "You don't own me: How Dusty Springfield changed the shape of the 1960s." Dive into the compelling story of her debut solo album, "A Girl Called Dusty." Discover more about her impact on the era. Read the full article here: https://ift.tt/frMB5qO

Check out our Founder, Executive Director and hear about her journey before Dream A World!

ICYMI: Our very own Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies and Chair of Psychology, Cindy Frantz, was on NPR's Weekend Edition! In the article, which centers around musical artists and their climate activism, Frantz discusses the psychological impact of large scale movements. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gEtskYDy 📸: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97

Question: How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives? My Answer: The best way to make an impact is to follow your passions and engage with organizations that align with those passions. There’s a common misconception that you need to be an artist or have an arts background to contribute to arts organizations. In reality, we need board members and volunteers with diverse skills and backgrounds—those who excel in finances, marketing, event organization, insurance, sales, and advocacy. Read more to learn about my journey with music and the Alpharetta Symphony, and its impact on the Alpharetta community…

I just love the mission of this sponsoring organization, A Tribe for Jazz. They are doing some deeply interdisciplinary work telling the story of jazz as a public good. This panel discussion--Hear Me Out: Democracy, Jazz, and Education-- brought together leaders in jazz advocacy and left me reflecting on what it means to "be the change" first as a human, second as a artist/academic/teacher/advocate.