Cultural Heritage Partners is happy to announce that applications are open for the 2020-2021 cohort of the ARCUS Leadership Program, which is managed by CHP and is a program of the SRI Foundation funded by American Express. ARCUS is a leadership development program offering a series of dynamic, engaging workshops and a year’s access to online courses and networking opportunities for individuals who seek to become effective leaders in the cultural heritage and historic preservation movement. ARCUS Fellows will earn a certificate for completing their online courses. Applications for fellows are now open for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 cohorts and must be completed by 8 AM EST October 21. Apply here!
The Workshops
The workshops for the 2020-21 Fellowship will focus on Understanding and Developing an Inclusive and Antiracist Approach to Cultural Heritage Work. We recognize the legacy of historic preservation and public history, and we seek to continuously improve it by providing support for the emerging leaders of the field. They will benefit from and will benefit the public by deepening their understanding of how to identify and dismantle racial discrimination.
November 4, 2020: Organizational Change: What It Means to Activate Inclusion & Antiracism Practices
Fellows will learn the basics of perspectives, biases, and truths, including why it is so difficult to talk about inclusion and antiracism. They will gain greater understanding of themselves as individuals and of organizations within a system. This first workshop will set the foundation for the next three.
By Dina Bailey, CEO of Mountain Top Vision, a consulting firm that generates systemic change within organizations so that they can more positively impact their communities and, so, impact the world.
December 1, 2020: Heroes, Villains, and Everyday Folk: Storytelling to Inspire Good Ancestors
Fellows will come to a new understanding about traditional interpretive approaches, including good vs bad guy theory. Personal examples will illustrate the potential impact of contemporary stories and meanings on how one lives and sees the world. Historical interpretation will be linked to the present and to identifying, even in broad terms, the future we wish to create.
By Richard Josey, Founder and Principal Consultant for Collective Journeys LLC, a consultation and contracting service designed for museums and historical organizations interested in building inclusive practices and future good ancestors.
January 5, 2021: How to be an Historic Preservation Activist or A Thorn in the Side
This workshop will delve into how race and ethnicity has influenced the preservation of place—and how to seat oneself as a leader in the movement given that knowledge and understanding. Questions to explore include:
- How can I recognize and address when representation is an issue on leadership groups and in organizations?
- What if I am the only person speaking for an issue or cause?
- When do I speak up?
- How do I effectively elevate the places and issues that are important to my community?
By Dr. Toni Smith, professor of African American history and community activist, whose work focuses on the cultivation and preservation of African American history and culture in Columbus, Ohio.
February 3, 2021: Operation Dixie Down: A Case Study of Confederate Monuments during Black Lives Matter Protests in Richmond
Perhaps nowhere in America was the Black Lives Matter movement more active around Confederate Monuments than in Richmond, Virginia, where protests, gatherings, and contemporary art reinterpretation took place along Monument Row for weeks. Fellows will convene with those involved in the monuments decisions during spring and summer 2020 to learn more about the ethical, legal, civic, and historic preservation elements of the decision to remove the statues on Monument Row.
Greg Werkheiser provided pro bono legal services to the City of Richmond regarding the removal of Confederate monuments in 2020 and will lead this panel.
The Courses
The ARCUS leadership course list can be reviewed here. Each course includes an overview video, selected learning resources, a discussion board, and an assignment designed to challenge participants to apply lessons to their own professional challenges. ARCUS courses were built for individuals with busy lifestyles. Courses are self-paced so participants can engage with them at any time and from any location.
ARCUS is unique in our field in its focus on leadership knowledge and practice, contextualized to the challenges facing individuals and organizations in preservation. ARCUS does not focus on technical preservation skills because such content is available through other programs (including many universities) but ARCUS instruction is complementary to such programs.
Two levels of certification can be earned:
- Fundamental Certificate: Requires satisfactory completion of 10 courses
- Professional Certificate: Requires satisfactory completion of 20 courses
Contact Us
Visit us: www.arcusleaders.com
Contact us: jackie@culturalheritagepartners.com
Facebook: @ARCUSleaders