Introduction & Context
In October 2023, The Englert Theatre and FilmScene launched a shared Community Engagement Coordinator office, funded by Strengthen Grow Evolve. This collaborative initiative fosters authentic relationships, amplifies diverse voices, supports local artists, creates educational opportunities for youth, and shares our progress to inspire future partnerships.
The following report outlines our progress and impact, highlights challenges, and shares recommendations for continued growth in 2025.
Nurturing Authentic Community Partnerships
Building meaningful connections has been at the heart of our work this year. In 2024, we met with 11 incredible organizations, including the Indigenous Arts Alliance and Domestic Violence Intervention Program, to strengthen ties with diverse communities. Joining the Iowa City Downtown Arts Alliance further allowed us to collaborate on youth-focused arts opportunities.
Summary: By partnering with local organizations, we created new ways to bring the arts to younger audiences and fostered deeper community relationships.
Amplifying Diverse Voices in Programming
Through our Creative Pathways panel series, we worked to uplift various perspectives within the arts. These panels, tailored for high school and college students, brought together local creatives to share their journeys and connect with youth. Adjusting event times to align with school schedules made our programming more accessible.
Summary: By amplifying diverse voices, we inspired youth and strengthened connections within our creative community.
Education Opportunities for K-12 Youth
This year, we surpassed our goal of engaging 1,300 area youth, reaching 1,932 students through programs like Story Pirates and creative writing workshops. Historical building tours and collaborations with schools helped bring the arts directly to young learners.
Summary: We expanded access to arts education, ensuring that underrepresented youth could participate in enriching cultural experiences.
Supporting Local Artists
From Battle of the Bands to Creative Pathways panels, we focused on helping local artists thrive. By mentoring youth and providing opportunities for artistic growth, we connected artists and students meaningfully. However, challenges like scheduling conflicts highlighted areas for improvement.
Summary: Supporting artists through mentorship and collaboration allowed us to build stronger bridges between artists and our community.
Reporting to the Community
Sharing our story is key to inspiring collaboration. In 2024, we engaged with 67 community organizations, attended 21 events like Rock the Chalk and the Pride Parade, and gave away complimentary tickets to help break down financial barriers. We aim to improve data tracking in 2025 to capture our impact better.
Summary: Transparent communication and active engagement have allowed us to build trust and inspire future partnerships.
FilmScene’s Engagement Highlights
- Hosting educational screenings for 180 seventh graders and expanding the Scenesters high school film literacy group.
- Partnering with 28 organizations to highlight diverse perspectives through film.
- Increasing screenings with organizations serving underserved populations by 60%.
The Englert’s Engagement Highlights
The Englert achieved several milestones in 2024, including:
- Engaged 1,932 area youth, surpassing the goal of 1,300 through school partnerships, job shadowing, and historical building tours.
- Hosted two nonfiction writing workshops in partnership with the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program.
- Successfully held four artist development events, including the Creative Pathways panel series and Battle of the Bands.
- Engaged six students, exceeding the goal of four, providing hands-on experience in arts administration.
Recommendations
Shared Goals
- Monthly collaboration with Iowa City Downtown Arts Alliance organizations to create youth arts programming.
- Joint data collection processes for better tracking and reporting.
- Continued panel series collaboration (three per year).
Englert Goals
- Expand the Arts Administration Internship program based on student feedback.
- Develop a system for tracking complimentary ticket distribution across departments.
FilmScene Goals
- Increase financial support for educational and community collaboration initiatives.
- Refine language with partners to improve collaboration expectations.
Conclusion
The shared Office of Community Engagement has fostered meaningful connections, inspired youth, and supported local artists. As we move into 2025, we are committed to refining our processes, strengthening partnerships, and expanding access to the arts for all community members.
