Commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation, Why "Where”? Because “Who" examines why and how place has become an important variable for arts practitioners to consider as they chart a course for the future.

Historical and Social Context

This report looks at the historical and social context for this phenomenon. The arts have existed for centuriesin public and informal spaces that are only recently considered unusual places to program. In many ways, thisnew focus on “where” has brought art back to the places in which it once existed, not taken it to places thatare entirely foreign.These places are often more accessible to more potential participants than are “traditional venues.” The artswere once “owned” by a larger portion of the population but that control shifted over the last two hundredyears. Programming in unusual spaces has the capacity to reengage a broader public by creating experiencesthat align with their values and expectations in the places they want to be engaged.

Framework for Understanding and Application

Why “Where”? Because “Who” presents a framework designed to help practitioners understand and makeinformed choices about the variables at work in arts programming across a variety of places. This frameworkis applied to project case studies included in this report, offering examples and ideas for interested practitionersand supporters.

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