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I agree, I think there is a time and place for certain art and while some may feel like that's censoring artists I just think it's a respectable thing that involves knowing your audience and their surrounds. Not everyone responds to native art, just as not everyone responds to surrealism either.

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I think art in the community is a way to relate to those also in the community. While chose casing art can be a stressful thing and hearing feedback can sometimes be hard, showing your work and having others appreciate it makes it all worth it. And I think more artists plan on eventually sharing their work with others. And what better way than with a community you're already part of.

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Recently, I worked with an art collective where we converted an old "adult bookstore" into an art installation. It was a community event with the main goal to unify the residents of Spenard and engage with them on an interpersonal level. There was a purpose of getting general information about the community as a whole,  but the main focus was to turn a blight on their community into something positive and whole. That is just one of the many important aspects of community engagement through art.

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I believe community engagement not only can help individuals in the community but also make the community stronger and healthier. Art is one of the best way to sharing emotions and connecting to people and community.

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AS, I agree that there needs to be a conscious effort to be made that not everyone is the same or has the same 'tastes'. Remembering that not all people are artists, let alone visual thinkers, is an extremely important tool when interacting with other individuals.

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In response to MM, I like your comment about remembering we aren't secluded in little bubbles. Sometimes putting yourself out there is scary but it really is the only way to get your work seen.

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Students should remember that community engagement is really important if they want to pursue a career in the arts. Art is all about sharing and interacting with other people, and the community around you is the perfect place to do that. It is a way to engage with other artists and non artists alike, and get feedback and encouragement for your work.

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in response to DB, when creating a work of art for the purpose of uniting a community i think that something important to remember  if you want all members of the community to to be able to say "Yes that really represents some aspect of ourselves" its important to keep it simple. Otherwise you might end up with people feeling like" Well this part represents us, but this other part doesn't".

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DB, I like your last comment "If everyone loves your work, you're not saying anything important." Iv never really thought about it like that.

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I think that something to remember about engaging with your community is our specific community is fairly diverse. Sometimes it feels like we are secluded in our own little world up here but in reality there are people from all walks of life all around us. I think its important for people to see outside of their own little bubble and appreciate the diversity of our unique culture.
The arts contribute to community engagement because when people feel a connection to something specific and they see that someone else is also connected to that art they then feel that they are connected to eachother through that art.

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LT, AS, I see we all share some similar values here about taking negative stuff with a grain of salt or to give other different people more credit to understand.

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Definitely remember that there are people who can think very differently than yourself.  Being aware and open-minded is a good idea.
The arts can unite people who share interests. Thus, interaction is prevalent. Stories could be told. It's a learning environment in general.

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@TM: "Engaging in the community is important for growth of yourself ..." There is so much to learn from other people. What is great about art is that it's a language and a very effective way of making connections.

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Since we started going to school, we’ve been learning how to live with other people. We’ve been in group projects, we learn about teamwork, and this is to prepare us for our future involvement in our community. We pursue a higher education to learn a specialty. What is the point of improving our skills if we don’t plan to use them anyway? Art can be universal and this is important for community engagement. It is easier to gather or engage people if art is involved. Not everyone has to do the art, we can simply experience it and may be discuss its beauty or share what we think about the purpose or intention of the art.

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AC,
I do not think it matters what art we are talking about that could unify people. Either they like it and support it, or hate it and want it banished from their community due to their value system.

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Engaging with the community as artists one should prepare thyself for critiques, good and bad.  If you quit art after your first bad review then it may not be the right thing for you.  Then again, I think many artist's rate themselves lower than what the general public would of their art. So being part of the community can give you reassurance, motivation and inspiration to do better.

Arts can bring a community together. I would say that Palmer for instance is more involved in the arts than Wasilla. Or at least it appears that way to mean because of the smaller town feel, the art supply shops, and unique stores. If an artist moves to a community where they feel no support for the arts, that artist could just simply move away. So economically it would behoove a community to support the arts. Statues would be erected, tourism could increase, thus creating jobs.

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In response to DB, I like that you feel that there should be some conflict in art. I can see that, that if you are getting criticism or someone just does not care or even just like your work, I know that I would be motivated to change their minds with another form of art. But in the end, so what if someone does not like or care for your art? If you have some followers but one person that ignores your work, will that bother you or would you shrug shoulders and move on?

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As artists, we should remember that not everyone is the same nor would they have the same taste. There are plenty of people in the community that will not completely understand art but they try. We are not here to please everyone but we should respect others and their thoughts. Art contributes a great deal in the community in that it showcases how the world around the community thinks and communicates itself. At events, it is also a way to step outside our world and check out what others are saying and how we evaluate them and ourselves. Art is really a reflection on the community and how people come together.

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AC, I do agree that art can bring people together, just as it can tear them apart.

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When engaging with a community I believe it is best to understand that there are a variety of people with a variety of opinions. Some opinions you'll accept with optimism while others you're going to have to leave behind and essentially forget about otherwise they'll drive you insane. The community engagement makes one stronger, especially in the art world. Through art in the community one can get a better grasp of the interests of people in their community from a creative standpoint.

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Art is something that can unify people together depending on what it is.

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Community engagement is important for several reasons.  It allows you to give back and be of service. This type of engagement allows you to network with others within the community and start building connections. Art contributes to the community by giving the audience/ viewer something to engage mentally or physically with.

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In response to DB, how is it wrong for everyone to love a persons art work? Wouldn't it be just as good for a person to love or like your work. I think that a positive response is still a response non the less.

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Students should remember when engaging with the community that their form of art is just as equal as others.  There are many different expressions of art that help reflect a persons self so respect different forms of art.
Art contributes to the community in many different ways like an opinion.  Art contributes a different point of view that is visually and physically stimulating.

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DM, Your comment on the need for community for mental health is very evident in Alaska Native communities and I realized that when reading it. Like where would we be without Native arts and crafts, dancing, etc.?! It's just something that's super close to my heart.

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Art gives people some thing to talk about like a Conversation starter. every one will have their own thoughts and reactions towards art and it can help bring people together depending on there likes and dislikes

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Community engagement is important for many reasons - one of which is mental health. Having that sense of belonging to a community can make a difference, especially for someone who is prone to depression. When a community engages in an activity together, like participating in the arts, that sense of connectedness has the potential to increase.

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I would argue that the importance of someone's work would not be any less if it were loved by everyone. Though, you would be hard pressed to find any piece of art that is universally loved. There is also that gray area in which art is neither loved nor scorned, and it arouses no feelings at all. It doesn't make the art work any less important to someone else.

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This is a great point about the arts bridging gaps between members of a community.

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It's true that good art captures something about a community. Members of that community can look at it and say, "Yes, that really represents some aspect of ourselves."

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Art is a form of communication, and not everything you have to communicate will be appreciated by everyone. The best art is that which inspires admiration and scorn in equal measure. It makes people think, which can be uncomfortable. Remember, if everyone loves your work, you're not saying anything important.

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Engaging in the community is important for growth of yourself and the people you hold close to you. The arts are a form of expression and communication between people in the community.

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Communities come in all shapes in sizes and often we belong to many different ones. The arts can help bridge the gaps between them.