Folk & Traditional Artists in Arizona
A Survey of Support (2021-2022)
A collaborative effort with the Arizona Commission on the Arts funded by the American Council of Learned Societies, research by Casely Coan investigates the impact that monetary awards and other forms of support have on folk and traditional artists and culture bearers in the state of AZ. She is conducting ethnographic interviews with Master-Apprentice Awardees and reviewing survey data to deepen our understanding of how support functions in the artists’ communities and also to identify what other forms of support are still needed. Following this, Casely will also conduct interviews with new artists in an effort to identify emergent trends in Arizona folklife and to bring attention to parts of the state that haven’t yet been featured in SFA’s programming. This project is the first statewide survey of Arizona folklife since Kimi Eisele’s 2012 report, “Abundant and Diffused: An Assessment of the Folk and Traditional Arts in Arizona,” which led to Southwest Folklife Alliance’s founding.
Arizona Creative Communities Initiative
(2019-2020)
We offered guidance to the Arizona Commission on the Arts and Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (ASU HIDA), in an initiative supporting 9 teams representing Arizona cities, towns, and neighborhoods exploring how arts and culture can contribute to community development and positive community change. Teams received intensive training, one-on-one mentorship, and funding. Visit the AZCCI site to listen to podcasts about each of the projects.
Listen to Podcasts about the projectsUniversity of Arizona Office of Student Engagement
(2019-2020)
We worked with the UA Office of Student Engagement to assess the landscape of student programs, courses, and projects that integrate community engagement at the university. Our findings offer recommendations for best practices and institutional support. We also carried out case studies of several such programs. Sep 2019-Jan 2020
Nogales, Arizona: A rapid assessment of community needs/assets/desires (2017-2018)
We conducted a needs assessment in Nogales, Arizona to understand pressing local issues, innovative responses, and ideas. Our assessment helped birth VozFrontera, an SFA program in Nogales, bringing arts and entrepreneurship to youth in that community, in collaboration with community partners and with funding from ArtPlace America. 2017-2018.