CIF Narrative
1750 13th Street Boulder, Colorado 80302 p. 303 443 2122 bmoca.org
Community Impact Fund Narrative
1.Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is a venue for creative
expression as evidenced by the museum's mission and continuous
presentation of visualart and performance. Founded close to
forty years ago by local artists as a forum to express
themselves as a collective group, BMoCA has evolved into a
nationally and internationally respected museum. BMoCA aims to
engage the community, collaborate with diverse organizations,
and embrace audiences with an array of backgrounds, life stories
and points of view. The museum is committed to inviting more
international artists to exhibit their artwork at BMoCA, with
the hopes that this increase in diversity willimprove
visibility for the arts in Boulder. BMoCA continually works to
increase the levels of diversity in its Board of Directors,
staff, volunteers and audiences, as the museum strongly belives
this makes for a richer working environment and a more inclusive
organization.
BMoCA is dedicated to exploring the pertinent issue of diversity
in its many complexities. In order to best serve the community,
the museum strives to attract diverse audiences representing
many cultures and backgrounds. Through its innovative
exhibitions and educational programs, BMoCA is committed to
being an inclusive organization where audiences can reflect upon
thought-provoking ideas.
2. In 2007 the City of Boulder initiated its Community Dialogue
as an opportunity for residents to express their experiences and
thoughts about life in Boulder. The published findings from this
study indicated that participants value what is an outdoor,
active lifestyle in a spectacular natural environment, which
they want to preserve and protect. Atthe same time, they worry
that Boulder is becoming an elitist community, intolerant of
those who are different and with no room for people of modest or
middle class means. Some of the reasons identified by the
participants for the lack of diversity in Boulder were:
The high and escalating cost of living, particularly the
cost of housing
The lack of available jobs
An unwelcoming environment and lack of acceptance of people
of color
An increasingly exclusive and elitist social atmosphere,
creating an economically and socially divided community.
(City of Boulder, Community Dialogue, Meetings-in-a-Box,
Summary Report, January 2008)
3. With these findings as a starting point, Boulder Museum of
Contemporary Art charged a group of artists with the task of
addressing the concerns and hopes expressed by the community
through a number of initiatives that will give visual
representation to the way Boulder residents experience
diversity. Initially, the artists will spend two weeks in
residency in Boulder to conduct research and collect ideas for
their respective projects. Returning to their studios with the
collected impressions, they will have time to process and
develop their projects, which will culminate in The Diversity
Project, an exhibition at BMoCA from June 23through September
11, 2011. Funding from the Community Impact Fund will support
all aspects of the exhibtion including installation, adult and
youth education programs, and community outreach.
BMoCA receives approximately 8,000 visitors per exhibition
cycle. The visitors of this exhibition will not only be able to
appreciate the work of the artists, but they will also be
educated on the social issues that the community experiences.
Aside from the exhibition itself, BMoCA will also be tailoring
its youth and adult educational programs to involve diversity in
the community. By addressing the many ways Boulder residents
experience diversity, a new line of communication will be
opened, strengthening the bonds of the community.
4. By including the aforementioned artists in a creative and
exploratory project, BMoCA is attempting to understand how the
Boulder community views diversity. Also, by including Boulder
residents in the conversation, the artists will engage the
community in new and unique ways. The project will give a voice
to Boulder residents who might not otherwise have a vehicle with
which to explore diversity and express their opinions about this
sometimes-controversial and sensitive, yet timely topic. The
project will culminate in a visual representation of these
sentiments at BMoCA. Perhaps most importantly, The Diversity
Project will serve as a forum for audiences to reflect upon
diversity in their communities, ensuring that equality is
advanced throughout Colorado in a powerful way.
5. Boulder residents will be actively involved in the entire
process of the Diversity Project. Their ideas, opinions, and
concerns will be the basis of the Project, with a wide variety
of community members being interviewed and involved in the
conversations. Since much of the Project directly involves
residents, word-of-mouth among participants and community
members will be an excellent promotional tool. Those actively
involved in the Project will be made aware of the exhibition
dates, including the opening night, during the initial stages as
well as closer to the exhibition itself. The Diversity Project
will also be promoted to Boulder residents through the use of
website advertisements (on BMoCA’s website, Facebook and
Twitter), press releases, e-mail blasts, and other forms of
marketing.