The Transformative Power of Community Engagement Lecture

Community engagement is now a major transformative force in the museum field. The power of this movement comes from its ability to focus on the heart of what our organizations are all about — meaningful public service. Museums today are challenged to become more active citizens, involved in addressing the social issues faced by our communities. No longer are museums measured and judged by their internal resources — collections, endowments, facilities, and staff — but rather by the external benefits and value they create for the individuals and communities they serve.

On August 8, 2013 Candace Tangorra Matelic delivered a dynamic lecture at the Glenbow Museum's ConocoPhillips Theatre. The following excerpts from this lecture cover the changing paradigms in the field, what community engagement is and is not, and how it differs from audience development. You can follow along with the note-taking handout.

Part #1: Paradigm Shifts, New Thinking about Organizational Life, and Forces For Change

Part #2: What Community Engagement Is and Is Not

Part #3 The Transformative Power of Community Engagement