Dear Readers,

It’s the first Tuesday in November and for us in the U.S. that means it’s Election Day. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you from the complicated feelings that I and many other artists have around this election. Instead, I hope to share my excitement for our November issue on Community Arts with you through a short anecdote. 

When I was in the 6th grade, I was invited to attend an event by a nonprofit local to San Diego aimed at empowering young women. I remember being excited and nervous to attend my first ever event at the Jenna Druck Center, as I did not know anyone else who was attending. I don’t remember exactly what happened when I first entered the space, but I remember the warm feelings of belonging and safety. There I sat among countless young women from across San Diego County for a free day of sharing our feelings, working to understand our own power, and quite literally dancing like no one was watching. Through this organization, I was able to create art freely, learn how to support and love other women instead of competing with them, and connect with myself and my feelings more deeply. 

The super power behind these countless amazing experiences was Leanne Tibiatowski, who I continue to look up to presently. Leanne demonstrated the duality of being a powerful woman while still managing softness, empathy, and care for others. She taught us this magic as much as she could through leading discussions, art projects, and through the way she carried herself. 

To this day, I find myself recalling lessons learned from Leanne and the workshops for young women’s leadership that she lead. I learned how to build community and the power of creating a warm space where people can investigate their feelings, their lives, and their world through the kind of vulnerability that only art can bring out of us. 

Today, I hold space for gratitude for and celebration of the community leaders and spacemakers who work tirelessly to create space for others to explore themselves through the transformative and healing power of art making. 

If on this day of great intensity you find yourself needing an escape or some hope, I’d like to point you towards articles from our past issues featuring artist change makers working within their communities and beyond to make art accessible for everyone. 

Vinroy D. Brown

Eliza Lamb Ed.D. (Lamb Center for Arts and Healing) & Stacy Busch (No Divide KC)

Kat Oros

Mosaic Composer Collective

Thank you all for your support of Art Grove Newsletter. We hope that you are able to share your voice for the sake of your community with the vote you cast today. 

Betsy Podsiadlo 

Creative Director, Art Grove Newsletter