Fariha Raisa, Feedback Labs | June 23rd, 2022
Moving the Margins is an incubator program for BIPOC artists to collaborate with the change agents of Jacksonville to create accessible and immersive art installations. They aim to catalyze the community towards action by providing equitable opportunities for BIPOC artists. They also provide artists-in-residence access to gallery spaces to showcase their work. Moving the Margins serves the community by creating a committed, intentional place that is responsive to the variety of lived experiences that encompass Jacksonville’s hidden diversity and that catalyzes tangible, equitable outcomes for its citizens.
As Moving the Margins continues to expand the space for BIPOC artists, they presented in LabStorms at the Feedback+ Summit in Jacksonville to brainstorm ideas for the involvement of the community in social justice conversations. Discussions around community-centered activism and getting feedback from the visitors also formed a major part of the session.
- Engaging Community in Social Justice Discussions. Social justice is a very sensitive topic in the Jacksonville community and therefore it has become important to first educate the community followed by a way to approach and create social justice conversations. Participants pitched the idea of making the community own the art and explain to them why they are coming and seeing the expositions. This can be used as a first step to further engage more thoughtful conversations with the community. Attendees also suggested having a monthly meeting, where the artists can introduce the work and provide an opportunity to come into the organization and expand the programmatic areas.
- Turning Discussions into Activism. Participants suggested searching for funding to get influencers around the community to promote the work. This will help in understanding the community based on their acceptance and identify how Moving the Margins could approach a specific community building upon their preferences and necessities. Lastly, participants talked about the lean innovation principles – experimenting first before dedicating all of the organization’s efforts to a project that is being planned for launching.
- Understanding Visitors’ Perceptions. It was suggested that Moving the Margins could utilize videos and images to collect feedback and use the responses to show funders the work and how the community is engaged. It was perceived as an innovative way of collecting information that is not as traditional as surveys and interviews. It was pitched that this could also be a part of the art gallery
As the discussion came to a close, the presenter and facilitator reflected on the key takeaways from the discussion. They focused on being more present in the community by sharing what social justice is through art expositions. They also highlighted the opportunities for growth by taking small but impactful initiatives with regard to shifting the conversation.
Learn More About LabStorms
LabStorms are collaborative problem-solving sessions designed to help organizations tackle feedback-related challenges or share what’s working well in their practice.
Presenters leave the experience with honest, actionable feedback and suggestions to improve their feedback processes and tools.
To learn more about participating in a virtual LabStorm, please visit feedbacklabs.org/labstorms.
