The Network: Sustaining creative partnerships on Chicago�s South Side
Source: http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/090402/network.shtml Parent: https://civicknowledge.uchicago.edu/media.shtml
| April 2, 2009 Vol. 28 No. 13 current issue archive / search contact Chronicle RSS Feed | The Network: Sustaining creative partnerships on Chicago�s South SideBy Deva Woodly deva@uchicago.edu News Office | --- | --- | Photos by Dan Dry | During the “Social Media and Technology” training session at the Civic Knowledge Project’s March 18 Meet the Press conference for members of The Network, presenter Adam Thurman, the Director of Marketing at Court Theatre, cautioned, “Social media is a horrible medium for selling stuff. Instead, it’s about connecting with other people, building trust and fostering community.” As the crowd sighed in agreement with his insight, one can’t help but think that Thurman’s message about the benefits of social media also applies to the guiding principle of The Network, a University program which promotes community engagement and has been most successful initiating and sustaining collaborations between the campus and community. The Network (http://civicknowledge.uchicago.edu/network.shtml), an initiative of the University’s Civic Knowledge Project, operates on one overriding principle, according to Program Coordinator Joanie Friedman: “Connections matter. And providing opportunities for people to connect with each other—sharing their knowledge, resources and vision—is one of the best ways to enhance the capacity of any organization. Friedman organized the daylong Meet the Press workshop, attended by 111 pre-registered members or affiliates that contribute to the arts and culture on the South Side. The goal, she said, is to “help raise the visibility of small and emerging arts and humanities organizations by connecting a panel of journalists with vibrant South Side organizations that often are overlooked.” | --- | --- |