#BlackLivesMatter Arts: Exploring Deep Community Engagement

Abstract

This paper explores the question, in what ways might artists and arts leaders collaborate to foster deeply impactful community engagement initiatives in support of #BlackLivesMatters? Co-developed by an arts leader and a dance artist, the discussion focuses on using culture as a meaning-making system to advance racial justice in communities by using the arts to ask provocative questions in service to envisioning and actualizing an antiracist world. Furthermore, we explore the importance of creating, encouraging, and expecting collaboration in support of culture that engages communities in addressing the historic and continuous discrimination, marginalization, oppression, and subjugation experienced by Black people specifically.

Presenters

antonio c. cuyler, ph.d.
Professor of Music in Entrepreneurship and Leadership, School of Music, Theatre and Dance, University of Michigan, Michigan, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

2026 Special Focus—The Social Impacts of Geopolitics: Interventions to Strengthen Humanity

KEYWORDS

Arts Leadership, Artists, BlackLivesMatter Arts, Community Engagement, Dance