TOC Regional Community Council with Littleglobe's Molly Sturges

COMMON GROUND: TOC
2007-2010, Torreon, Ojo Encino, Cuba (Rural New Mexico)
David Gallegos & Valerie Martinez | project directors
Molly Sturges | artistic director
Ed Radtke and Leland Chapin | affiliate artists

Commissioned by The NM Arts and Justice Committee. In partnership with The Lensic Performing Arts Center and The Southwest Organizing Project. Funding from The New World Foundation and The McCune Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Santa Fe Art Institute.

Common Ground: Cuba / Ojo Encino / Torreon is a partnership with three underserved and diverse small and connected rural NM communities. The project brings contemporary and traditional artists, community organizers, students, elders, and community members together for a 3 year creative arts project that encourages participants to explore issues of primary concern in their communities.

TOC community members and Littleglobe artists accomplished the following between 2008 and 2010:

Worked with over 60 students in four schools including elementary, middle school and high school age students.

Created an inter- and intra-community, intergenerational ensemble, ages 7 to 80, from the village of Cuba and the nearby Eastern Agency Navajo (Diné) communities of Ojo Encino and Torreon as well as contemporary and traditional artists, community leaders, youth, elders and other community members by initiating contact with and creating relationships with educators, health workers, community organizers, business persons, schools, Diné/Navajo chapterhouses, senior centers, and other community based individuals and organizations. Each ensemble member received an artist honorarium.

Created a high-school based multi-media project with Cuba High School and Cuba High Alternative School students, teachers and administrators, involving students, many of whom were/art at-risk youth facing a range of economic, family, community, and personal challenges.

Promoted fellowship, understanding, community collaboration across various boundaries that divide individuals (including students) and groups who live in three rural communities—boundaries of age, socio-economics, race, religion, politics, and other perspectives/experiences.

During weekly sessions (with high school students and the intergenerational ensemble), created a liminal space of creative engagement in which participants were able to take creative and relational risks, engage with new perspectives, and explore issues of personal and community significance.

Elevated perspectives, stories and experiences that are unexpected, under-represented and, often, marginalized by creating a safe space for individual and group expression.

Taught a wide range of community facilitation, listening, collaboration, conflict engagement and dialogue skills.

Engaged students/community members in the complex process of defining a shared vision for their communities

Nurtured a smaller group of cultural/community leaders who wished to facilitate, plan, and coordinate various development projects. This group eventually formed the TOC Regional Community Council (TRCC) and includes two high school students.

Produced and performed the First Annual Common Ground Festival, a festival of personal stories, short films, creative dialogues, spoken word pieces, theater, and other “stories” in multi-media forms. The pieces addressed the daily lives, identities, and histories of community members in a hopeful, insightful and compelling tribute to community.

Engaged the TOC community ensemble (children, students, families, community members) in the on-going process of identifying specific community needs. Their priorities included out-of-school programs, food projects, arts cooperatives, health programs and a second Common Ground Festival.

Provided honoraria/stipends for council members to begin their work and encourage other sources of funding for the TRCC. The TRCC received their first community development grant in March 2009.

Provided (and continue to provide) and/or facilitate training in cultural leadership community dialogue, conflict engagement, community planning, program development and coordination, fundraising, etc. for the council and larger ensemble

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