Animating Democracy is a program of Americans for the Arts. Over the last decade, Animating Democracy has implemented national research and has supported a wide range of artists and cultural organizations doing compelling civic engagement work. We work at the nexus of theory, practice, and research, guiding and tracking projects that foster civic engagement through the arts.
Our website serves as a platform for this work. Think of our site as your research partner! |
How can Animating Democracy work for you? I want to generate discussion and inspire my students! My students and I are interested in contributing work and research to a national resource! I’m interested in instructional support tools! I want to provide research tools to my students! I want to bring Animating Democracy onto my campus or into my community! |
Use Profiles to generate discussion!
Many Artists or Organizers use web-based media to create awareness and to inspire dialogue about current issues. Whether its video recordings of live performances, interactive web-based projects, or web-based independent media platforms- these accessible examples can be great ways for students to explore different viewpoints and to spark discussion.
Here are a few profiles which feature new media/video/web based projects:
Use examples of projects for and by young adults and college students from our Directory of Profiles to inspire and mobilize:
And encourage your students to create profiles highlighting their own arts for change work!
Contribute work!
Animating Democracy is seeking relevant research from students and faculty that can be featured in Special Collectionsand Trend Paperson the site- so share your work! Contact Animating Democracy staff at animatingdemocracy@artsusa.org for more information about this opportunity.
Use Animating Democracy resources as instructional support tools!
Numerous articles, case studies, books, and resources present on the Animating Democracy website document action-based research of exemplary arts for change work, including principles, practices, and
theory. What’s more, practical tools can help you and your students develop civic engagement and
arts-based projects as a part of your curriculum:
- Arts and Civic Engagement Planning Toolkit: A tool to develop your own Arts and Civic Engagement Project with features like the Image/Define/Design worksheet!
- Continuum of Impact: A useful framework for defining social outcomes, indicators, and data collection methods to assess the social impact of arts.
Provide Animating Democracy resources as research tools for students!
Here's a brief guide to our many resources found in the three main sections of our website.
Animating Democracy Main Page:
This section includes basic information about Animating Democracy and it also houses many of the
resources produced out of our early initiatives.
Resources found here: Books, in-depth case studies, webinars, and E-News archives
Impact Section:
This section is a storehouse of resources that aims to advance understanding of the social impacts of arts-based engagement and social change work.
Resources found here:An introduction to social impact-based evaluation, practical evaluation tools and models, and the Continuum of Impact evaluation framework
Landscape Section:
This section maps and highlights the spectrum of ways the arts are being activated to engage people and make change.
Resources found here: Trend Papers, Artist, Organization and Project Profiles, listings of external databases and resources in the field, and information on the current funding landscape
Also, check out Publicly Engaged Scholarship in the Humanities, Arts, and Design by Jamie Haft
This overview describes how colleges and universities are expanding and deepening the role that publicly engaged scholarship in the humanities, arts, and design can play in contributing 
to positive change in the communities and regions within which higher education institutions exist.
Web Tutorial Video:
Use the Animating Democracy Website Tutorial Video to introduce your students and others to the resources on the site!
Bring Animating Democracy to your campus or community!
Animating Democracy staff members are available to Skype into classrooms for a brief introduction to Animating Democracy's work and our website, in addition Animating Democracy staff frequently visit campuses to present workshops, keynote presentations and participate in symposia and conferences on the topics of arts and civic dialogue, civic engagement and social change. If you are interested in bringing Animating Democracy staff to your campus, please contact co-director Pam Korza: pkorza@artsusa.org.