Giving Compass' Take:

• In this story from ARTS Blog, Aileen Alon discusses how she has advocated for the arts in non-arts spaces.

• How might we learn from Aileen's example? How could advocates of other causes elevate those in unrelated spaces?

• To learn about supporting the arts in American schools, click here.

With City Year Miami, I helped underserved youth paint murals to beautify public spaces and learn about social justice issues. Then for seven years, I led the integration of the arts and culture into neighborhood revitalization strategies at the Opa-locka Community Development Corporation. I saw the organization expand its scope to include not only housing, but also economic empowerment, tech, health, education, infrastructure, and more in its approach to community development. What often tied this multi-faceted work together? The arts. And, even in my new role at Venture Cafe Miami, I am encouraged to build bridges between the arts and non-arts industries to spur creativity, innovation, and community with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

I don’t need to work for an arts organization to do the work I love.

In fact, I’ve probably been able to do more for the arts and culture sector in my community by being an advocate for the arts in non-arts organizations. Any attempt to mold myself or my career into a cookie cutter package of how someone goes about working in the arts is futile, and goes against what I learned as an artist: to be unique, creative, and develop your own style.

I can continue to pave my own way and expand mindsets of what someone in the arts looks like, or where they work, by continuing in this untraditional route. In infiltrating non-arts organizations with both an artistic and arts advocacy perspective, I can help make the arts an integral part of the solution, rather than an option. As a result, the organizations and communities I work with help to push boundaries and grow a more innovative and widely accessible arts and culture field for the future.

Read the full article about elevating the arts by Aileen Alon at ARTS Blog.