Marvin X invited to Visioning Session at Oakland's Flight Deck Theatre

Hi Marvin,

As Ayodele said, I'm the ED of Ragged Wing & The Flight Deck and I have 2 questions for you:

1. First, I've been really excited about the Black Arts district idea that you have been promoting and was really happy to see that the city is now supporting it.  When I read the details, I realized that The Flight Deck falls within the area of the district, which I didn't know before, and I'm wondering how we can get involved with the movement to create the district and support any advocacy you are doing.  Please let me know your thoughts on how we can be most helpful in this effort.
2. The Flight Deck's annual gala event, the Accelerator, is coming up on February 6th.  To kick off the evening, we are hosting a visioning session on the future of the arts in downtown Oakland.  5 panelists with  various expertise on this topic will speak from their perspectives, and then the participants will split into groups to envision different aspects of the future of the arts in downtown.  I was wondering if you'd be one of our panelists?  I've attached a detailed write-up of the session so you can get the idea of the structure and how you would fit into it.  You and a guest would then be invited to join us for the rest of the event, which includes a silent auction, dinner and performances (for more info on the event, click on the banner in my signature line.)  If you are interested, please let me know, and I'd like to meet with you in person beforehand so we can get to know each other a little bit.

Either way, I look forward to meeting you soon and supporting the efforts of the Black Arts district.

All the best,

Anna

Anna Shneiderman
Executive Director

Ragged Wing Ensemble & The Flight Deck
510-858-7383

www.raggedwing.org

www.theflightdeck.org

       

 VIP hour Accelerator 2016

Art at the Center of Downtown’s Public Life: A Creative Visioning Session Oakland is changing. We all know it. Buildings are going up, businesses are opening, new people are coming in, and some folks who have been here for a long time are getting pushed out. There’s a sense of opportunity and a sense of fear. Who will get a share of the new prosperity? In Oakland, like in so many urban areas, artists have been central in making the place desirable - so often, people reference diversity and arts & culture when they talk about why they love Oakland. But as new money comes in and rents rise, artists and arts organizations are often some of the first to be displaced. At this moment when so much is changing for Oakland, and when the city is creating a new Downtown Specific Plan, how can we make sure that the arts remain at the center of public life in Oakland, and that they continue to grow in ways that are equitable and rooted in Oakland’s rich culture and history?

As the opener to The Flight Deck’s annual Accelerator event on February 6th, we are inviting our guests to join in a visioning session on the future of the arts in Downtown

Oakland. Experts in various fields will provide context and give their perspective on

these issues, and then participants will work in groups to creatively develop a vision for

placing the arts at the center of public life in Downtown Oakland’s changing landscape.

The process will marry elements of ensemble theater techniques and urban planning

design charettes. This session will serve as a pilot - an experiment in process that could

be duplicated in other contexts if it is effective.

Time: 5-6pm

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Facilitator: Anna Shneiderman, Executive Director, Ragged Wing Ensemble & The Flight

Deck

Panelists:

1. Robert Ogilvie, Executive Director, SPUR Oakland (confirmed)

2. Richard Weinstein, Owner, Weinstein Local & Citrine Advisors Real Estate

(confirmed)

3. Lindsay Krumbein, Executive Artistic Director, Gritty City Repertory Youth

Theatre (confirmed)

4. Someone from the city - Libby Schaaf, Tamika Moss or who?

5. A local artist/advocate – Marvin X? Anyka Barber?

Plan:

1. As the participants enter, they are assigned a group number.

2. The facilitator introduces the topic, process and panelists.

3. Each panelist gives a 3-minute intro to their perspective on the topic and any

relevant background and context from their field.

4. The participants split into groups. Each group includes one panelist and onefacilitator. The groups address their question by creating a simple artistic product. 

5. We return to the full group and each group presents their piece.

6. Each panelist has 1 minute to synthesize take-aways, or things they will add to the next steps of their work as a result of the session.

7. Facilitator closes out the session. 

Questions for groups to address:

• 1. How can city government best support Oakland artists? (City person)
  2. How can art be incorporated into street-scapes, public spaces and new
  developments? (Robert)
  3. How do we make sure that the artists and arts organizations who have made
  Oakland so unique and desirable are able to stay as new residents, businesses and
  capital move in and rents rise? (artist/advocate)
  4. How can the Arts community and the Business community collaborate to best
  serve the public? (Richard)
  5. How can The Flight Deck best serve the public of Oakland? (Lindsay)
  Prompt for each group:
  Talk, draw, sing, move. Come up with some ideas and then make a simple artistic
  product that represents them.
  Create a product that:
   includes a minimal amount of text that gets to the essence of your idea (spoken or
  written)
   includes a visual element
   includes a performance element - movement or music
   is no longer than 1 minute
   includes everyone in the group in some way
   the form of the piece reflects the content of the ideas
  Materials available:
   large paper
   markers, colored pencils, etc.
   tape & glue
   other simple craft supplies