ART/CITY: Kim Anno

The Arts Research Center at UC Berkeley is sponsoring the symposium "ART/CITY" on March 16, 2012. Participants have been invited to respond to the prompt “in relation to the arts and civic life, the question I am wrestling with right now is…” in advance of the event. This guest posting is by Kim Anno, artist and member of the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission.

In relationship to arts and civic life, what i am struggling with is how to create a more mutually cooperative relationship between all stakeholders of the city, university, citizens, youth, government, schools, etc. regarding arts and culture. We have a rich area, that is unmatched in intellectual and creative individuals and organizations. Arts and culture can provide a more nuanced and long lasting education and economic benefit to all citizens in our area. This photo is an example of young adults in the townships of Durban, South Africa who are all creative and talented and have no access to higher education except through a non-governmental organization I worked with. They were hungry to be in the world contributing to society, and what i did with them (video project) was the blink of an eye. How can we make a society that benefits the future generations? Berkeley has so many resources at its fingertips, hands need come out now and touch each other.