Giving Circles
Intrigued by social healing arts? Want to learn more? Please consider joining or initiating a Social Healing Arts giving circle.
What is a giving circle?
A giving circle is simply when people get together to learn about and fund an area of common interest. In the past decade, hundreds of giving circles have been formed around the country often focussing on a geographic area and/or a concern, e.g., Hurricane Katrina relief, women’s rights, international development, alternative medicine… you name it. For more information, see www.givingforum.org/givingcircles/. We know of no other giving circles focused on social healing arts.
Why join a giving circle?
- Enjoy greater impact by combining your donation with the gifts of others.
- Have more fun by meeting people who share your interests and working collaboratively.
- Learn together about the field.
- The giving circle can have a valuable public presence, while you remain private if you wish.
- Working with a group can motivate you to take the time to really engage.
What commitment is required?
- It depends on the circle you join. We anticipate that a wide variety of giving circles will form, enabling participation from people with different interests, time availability, and financial capacity.
- Giving circles are open to institutional as well as individual and family givers.
- We anticipate the circles could include site visits to local social healing arts organizations, visits from local artists and organizers, briefings from experienced funders and researchers in the field, and an exchange among group members of their own artistic endeavors and passions. Like many activities, what you get out of it will depend in part on what you put into it. But it’s okay for people to be involved at different levels.
How do I join a circle?
- We’ll track who has what interests and when a critical mass of people with common interests make themselves known to us we’ll bring people together. If you might be interested, please contact christopher@zings.org, 781-646-1705, to talk about what would excite you.
- We are especially looking for group initiators – people with organizing or group facilitation skills who might like to organize a group around their interests. We initially are exploring groups in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, and Minneapolis – and are open to initiators from other places as well. If you might like simply to join a group once it’s formed, please let us know that, too.
- Currently we have one circle started, focused on supporting three international improvisation theater forms – Playback Theatre, InterPlay, and Theater of the Oppressed. Please contact anne@zings.org, 781-646-1705 if interested.