Culture Committee Meeting Notes

Introductions

Will gave a brief history of the U.S.S.F.

He defined the role of local and national working groups.

How do we use culture to raise awareness about the USSF and the social movements in Detroit?

It is not just a conference. It is building a social movement.

(Information about the U.S.S.F. is attached to this email. Please review.)

Goals and Objectives

What is the vision for the culture part of the U.S.S.F.?

Our goal is to go beyond just concerts. It is important to have local spaces as well. Culture intertwined with program

How do we get the community involved?

How do we make it beneficial to artists? Art spaces?

Profound but not profane—people are expressing themselves but should not be profane

Goal is to obtain the best community centered artists. Incorporate culture in every aspects of the social forum

What budget is there for art/ performances/ culture?

Are we offering funds? We may want to the artists to have their presentation in theme of the workshops/plenaries.

Phase I.

Brainstorming Areas of Cultural Expression

Artistic workshops

Concerts (Gospel, Hip Hop, Rock/Funk/Soul, Jazz, R&B, etc)

Film festivals

Interactive art stations

Plays (live stage)(see Aku Kadogo)

Street plays (performers)

Children: spaces for sidewalk chalk

Dance

Street interviews

Spirituality Spaces (yoga, tai chai, meditation, dance..)

Community murals (Tyree Guyton ~ Heidelberg Project, community garden murals)

Puppetry (check EMEAC, Matrix, Women in Black, Cathleen Rashid, puppet maker at DIA)

Mimes

Poetry (free spaces/open mic/soap box)

Youth camp

Children’s social forum (childcare w/educational programming)

Massive Community Performance Art (Ryan Myers to lead to raise interest in the USSF)

Offering vending space for artists (ways for them to sell products)

Incorporate green living throughout cultural expressions (eco friendly cultural spaces)

Note: This is a growing list. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please send them to the group and they will be added to the list.

Upcoming Dates

Thursday, June 11, 2009

USSF Potluck

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Michigan Welfare Rights Office

Thursday June 18, 2009

Next meeting

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

(The focus is reviewing Phase I. Brainstorming Cultural Expressions for the USSF 2010 and moving to Phase II. Creating categories and people choosing areas of interest)

Websites

ussf2010.org

ussfdetroit.org (sign up for the USSF Wiki for updates and information)

dloc_culturelists.riseup.net@lists.riseup.net (awaiting approval for the listserv/please subscribe now)