Introducing Community Arts Network: A Network for Harnessing Art as a Catalyst for Social Impact

VIENNA, April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the launch of the Community Arts Network (CAN): a network dedicated to uniting artists, leaders, policymakers, funders, institutions, and changemakers to discuss important global issues, and collaborate on impact-driven artistic projects.

The purpose of the Community Arts Network is:

• To explore connections between Art and impact - and how the arts themselves can be a meaningful catalyst for transformative action
• Provide connections to both like-minded and unlikely individuals and organisations - all united by their passion for art and positive social change
• Develop and grow a hub of systems, tools, and resources for members to plan, promote, and measure the impact of artful and community-led art projects

As part of its mission, CAN is bringing together people from different backgrounds to explore the impact of the arts in six key contexts: Climate, Hope, Wellbeing, Business, Democracy, and Education, with thought-provoking discussions and multimedia content on each key area to be released episodically from May 2021.

CAN believes the arts have a unique ability to transcend boundaries and unify people to take meaningful action against global crises. The power of the arts resides exactly in its ability to provoke and cause action. However, CAN also recognises there has been a lack of effective measurement within the arts sector and is eager to challenge the notion that metrics don't have a place in art by dismantling the intangibility of the arts as a hurdle for funding, support, and progression.

"The members of CAN know that the Arts have the power to change minds, motivate, and provoke meaningful discussion and action," said Csaba Manyai, Impact Architect of CAN. "These actions can take the form of petitions, projects, demonstrations, fundraisers, events, contacting government officials, creating laws, and more - creating not only a cultural shift, but also measurable impact.

"This is why we're connecting the leaders in each field: to collaborate, share knowledge, and build best practices. This will allow creators to build out their own strategy for measuring impact and transformative change - strengthening the process even further."

CAN has launched with the support of Yazmany Arboleda, Artist in residence at NYC's Civic Engagement Commission. Yazmany is well-known for developing wide-scale community-led artistic projects, centred around democracy and building communities unified to tackle world issues, and has joined the team of CAN as an Artist Ambassador.

"I believe that art is a verb. I've seen the bridges that are built between people when they work together, and I've come to view those bridges, those pathways to one another, as art too," Yazmany commented. "My goal is to bring that healing and transformative power to communities around the world that are traditionally left out of 'art' and 'the art world.' CAN's manifesto aligns closely with my own, so I'm thrilled to be a member of the network, and excited to learn more about the role art can play in the world."

Notes to Editors 

For more information on CAN, contact can@shift6.com.

Twitter:  @CommArtsNetwork

Instagram: @commartsnetwork

You can find a selection of press assets and images for CAN here.

About CAN

CAN is a platform which aims to enable, engage, and empower people through arts - be they individuals, organizations or whole communities. CAN achieves this by providing resources and toolkits for enhancing art's impact, measurement, and promotion, as well as providing members with access to a network of like minded organisations and individuals for collaborations.