The CADVC is looking for two UMBC graduate students interested in an oral history research project this summer. The objective is to collect an extensive oral history of the founding, development, and progress of UMBC’s Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park (JBSP) and its three partnership parks in Baltimore City before Labor Day. 

These positions are open to emerging historians who are interested in gaining experience in interviewing subjects, transcription, and developing strategies for making historical knowledge accessible to community members and online visitors.

Responsibilities

• Conduct 8-10 in-depth oral history interviews with JBSP founders, UMBC staff, Nature Sacred staff, and others
  
• Employ advanced audio production skills by recording, editing, organizing, and producing audio files 
  
• Conduct transcription of all audio recordings
  
• Log documentation of tasks and hours worked

Requirements

• UMBC graduate students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 
  
• Taken either HIST 736 (Introduction to Oral Histories), similar coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level, or have consent of a department head or CADVC as having competency in this area.
  
• Must have the ability to become appropriately certified with IRB through UMBC or provide proof of previous certification 
  
• Provide their own transportation to and from campus and have access to their own reliable and suitable audio equipment or the ability to check out equipment from UMBC’s library 

These two positions carry a stipend of $1,500 each. The stipend will be issued in two installments, one $750 installment at the time of hire or completion of IRB certification and one $750 installment upon project completion.

Covid-19 Precautions: 

• It is possible all work may be carried out remotely, but more likely it will require significant in-person recording time with individuals at locations as far as the offices of Nature Sacred in Annapolis and other locations to be determined. 
  
• UMBC may require daily health monitoring and/or regular testing just as if incumbents were coming to campus regularly. 
  
• It is understood that the on-going pandemic may necessitate continued and unexpected changes in requirements for UMBC research activities for many months to flexibility in responding to these changes will be necessary to the successful completion of the project.

To Apply:

Please send your C.V. or resume and a cover email to Sandra Abbott at abbotts@umbc.edu by May 10, 2021. Candidates will then be contacted for a WebEx interview. No phone calls, please.

CULTIVATE THIS.

Nature has much to teach us. Today, we're enjoying its lesson to notice what is around us. To reconnect with the big picture. This 12-minute meditation, created by the Center of Arts, Design and Visual Culture at UMBC, guides us through this lesson with breathing, awareness practices and nature imagery inspired by their Sacred Place, The Joseph Beuys Sculpture Park. This is the first of three "Nature as Teacher" meditations — the latest addition to our Nature Sacred Guides.

You can check out the program here: https://naturesacred.org/programming_kit/nature-as-teacher-cultivating-peace-in-uncertain-times/ 

Each video meditation is kindly filmed by Research Associate Professor, Director of UMBC’sImaging Research Center and award-winning filmmaker Lee Boot and narrated by UMBC’s Director of Workplace Learning, OD & Wellness and Founder & CEO of Wardell Development Group LLC.,Jill Wardell. The project is supported by the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture and the Joseph Beuys Tree Partnership with a generous gift fromNature Sacred (naturesacred.org).

Mental health matters. While this subject is so often silenced or shamed, here at OCA Mocha, in collaboration with HoldOn2Hope, we are giving these artistic narratives space to be seen and loved. In order to break down the barriers and stigma that shroud mental health, we must first lay our experiences bare to be witnessed. With empathy and understanding, we can create change. This exhibit is a reflection of our collective and individual experiences navigating our mental health journeys. We are grateful for the bravery and vulnerability of these artists. May this collection of artwork remind us that even when the world was forced to shut its doors, our hearts remained open, reaching for each other. 

The deadline to submit pieces is April 21st, submissions can be sent through this google form link https://forms.gle/pdRVKXtoJZkj7TCM7, which can also be found on OCA Mocha's Facebook (@OCAMocha) and Instagram (@OCAMochaUMBC) in our linktree . 

Any medium can be submitted so long as your piece can be printed and hung on our gallery wall, Art dimensions must not exceed 72 x 72 inches. The exhibition begins on May 1st and ends June 12th.

This exhibit will be co-curated by Liam Garrett and Rocky Callen. 

HoldOn2Hope, founded by Rocky Callen, is the sponsor of this exhibit. Rocky Callen is the author of the YA novel A Breath Too Late. Her mission is to unite creatives in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. 

OCA Mocha invites entries for You're Not Alone. The exhibition revolves around issues of mental health. The curators aim to feature as many artists as possible to emphasize that mental health battles do not need to be fought alone.

·       Submit via Google Form: https://forms.gle/pdRVKXtoJZkj7TCM7

(Link also on OCA Mocha's Facebook and Instagram in their linktree)

·       Submission deadline: April 21, 2021

·       Submission fee: None

Because this subject is so often silenced or shamed, OCA Mocha, in collaboration with HoldOn2Hope, is giving this artistic narrative space to be seen and appreciated. In order to break down the barriers and stigma that shroud mental health, we must first lay our experiences bare to be witnessed. With empathy and understanding, we can create change.

This exhibit reflects our collective and individual experiences navigating our mental health journeys. We are grateful for the bravery and vulnerability of these artists. May this collection of artworks remind us that even when the world was forced to shut its doors, our hearts remained open, reaching for each other.

This exhibit is co-curated by Liam Garrett and Rocky Callen.

HoldOn2Hope, founded by Rocky Callen, is the sponsor of this exhibit. Rocky Callen is the author of the YA novel A Breath Too Late. Her mission is to unite creatives in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. 

The Gallery at OCA Mocha is dedicated to promoting and showcasing the creative efforts of UMBC and the surrounding community in its mission to unite people through artistic expression.

You’re Not Alone opens May 1st in-person at OCA Mocha; 5410 East Dr, Arbutus, MD 21227.

Join us April 12, 2021 for a lecture and panel discussion with George Ciscle on curating in the community. Ciscle is the founder and director of The Contemporary, an “un-museum” in Baltimore and an educator and trailblazer in community-based arts and public programming. His work challenges existing conventions for exhibiting art, how we engage public spaces, and how we define curation.

In addition to discussing his work in both the Baltimore and the larger art community, Ciscle will be joined in conversation with Sandra Abbott, curator of collections and outreach at the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, and Ashley Minner, professor of the practice and folklorist, Department of American Studies and director of the American Studies minor in Public Humanities. Their discussion will address community curation beyond unilateral engagement strategies and routine public programming.

The event will be live captioned via Zoom, and ASL interpreters will be provided. 

For the discussion, sign up at https://umbc-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcO-urD0vGdcE1FKykUATjLcoZ_stZSiy.

This lecture is sponsored by the Department of American Studies, Public Humanities, Maryland Traditions, Dresher Center for the Humanities,Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture, and the Orser Center for the Study of Place, Community and Culture

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