APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED THROUGH MONDAY 6/24

Radical Unity was formed to launch a creative expressions roadmap that engages various communities in exciting and unexpected new ways across various platforms. We envision a United States inspired by its diversity, which honors the power of creativity and manifests a future that celebrates and uplifts everyone. This pilot program hopes to explore our common humanity which inspires the collective consciousness in all of us.

The Opportunity

We are seeking creatives in Arizona to submit creative expression proposals by June 24th that engage the community in our common humanity and work to help strengthen the civic fabric.* All mediums of creative expression are welcome. Four individuals in Arizona will be selected from the pool of applicants by a committee representing Arizona’s arts and culture community as well as civic engagement organizations. Each selected creative will be offered a $15,000 stipend to produce this work, which must be completed by October 6th, 2024. We are particularly interested in proposals that engage communities to build bridges across differences and that stress our shared humanity.

Creative works within a community have the opportunity to provide a shared experience that brings people together, regardless of who they are or what they believe. This can be through a shared sense of awe, humor, joy, sadness, or even the experience of something strange or thought-provoking. We want to tap the creative energy of people across Arizona to see what creative expressions can do to help unify their community and bring a greater sense of our common humanity. We hope these works bring unexpected ways in which we can engage community members, heal the fracturing of society, and inspire community members to strengthen civility and the civic fabric. [Civic fabric includes a wide variety of topics, including civic education, increased service and volunteer opportunities, and other components described below.*]

We are doing similar work this year in Georgia. Through these efforts, we hope to learn from creatives about what brings people together on the local level, so we can expand this project further in 2025 and beyond.

Your Proposal

Proposals should clearly indicate both the plan for developing the creative work and how the work will engage the community and strengthen the civic fabric. Specifically, proposals should:

• Provide a description of the creative work. Samples are welcome via JPEG, PDF, MP3, MP4, etc.
  Max samples: 10 Images, 5 Minutes Total of Video, 5 Minutes Total of Audio, OR 5 Pages of PDF
• Provide a timeline indicating how the work will be completed by October 6th, 2024.
• Provide a simple budget indicating that the work can be accomplished with the allocated funds of $15,000. Each creative will receive this amount regardless of how much it costs to develop the creative expression. A budget example is listed below.

In addition, we seek to understand community impact. In Question 2 of the application, please describe your creative work's intended effect, indicating how it will address this year's theme to engage the community in our common humanity or strengthen the civic fabric. Details may include the venue for where it will be hosted, how the art is created, how community is brought into the work itself, etc. 

Through the selected set of proposals, we seek geographic diversity across the state, especially in communities that lack sufficient investment in arts and culture. We are also seeking a diversity of creatives and different types of expressions.

Rating System

• Quality of creative vision (25 pt);
• Alignment with the mission and theme of Radical Unity** (see Addendum below) (25 pt);
• Potential for realization (10 pt);
• Engagement with and bridging of the community (10 pt);
• Reflection of Place (10 pt); and
• Anticipated impact (20 pt).

Addendum

*What is a Strong Civic Fabric? 

"Civic fabric" refers to the social, cultural, and political connections and institutions within a community or society that hold it together. It encompasses the networks of relationships, shared values, and common interests that create a sense of belonging and solidarity among community members. The term emphasizes the idea that communities are woven together by various threads of civic engagement, participation in public life, and a commitment to the well-being of the whole community. Strengthening the civic fabric often involves fostering trust, cooperation, and activating community members to promote a vibrant and resilient community.

The components of civic fabric vary depending on the context, culture, and history of a particular community or society. However, some common elements include:

• Trust: Perhaps one of the greatest protective factors in our ability to overcome, or at least mitigate, the effects of crisis is trust. Trust in your community, government, information sources, and leaders is an indicator that the civic fabric is strong and that people will work together to recover from the crisis event. Trust is the glue that holds societies together. When it begins to erode, as we have seen in past years, so does the social fabric that binds us together.
• Community Capacity: There are key elements that indicate a community can work together to adapt and be resilient in the face of a crisis. In other words, communities have capacity to do this when community members feel like they
  • are a valued member of the community,
  • have community pride, and
  • engage in the issues.
    Community capacity is important because it allows people to come together and form grassroots, intimate networks, which are the foundation of change. It perpetuates civility over fear and distrust. Most importantly, it allows people to create and act on a vision for future generations that is better than the current situation.
• Civic Engagement and Volunteerism: Civic engagement encompasses a range of activities through which individuals participate in the public sphere and contribute to the common good. This includes voting, volunteering, attending community meetings, and advocating for social or political change.
• Trusted Leadership: An investment in re-establishing trust in leaders, political processes, elections, and the institutions that uphold society is critical if we are to come together to take on the challenges a community faces. It is critical that leaders are chosen fairly by the community and that they are accountable to the community.
• Institutions and Governance Structures: Strong civic fabric often relies on well-functioning institutions and governance structures. These institutions may include government agencies, non-profit organizations, community associations, and other formal and informal bodies that facilitate collective decision-making and problem-solving.
• Reliable Information: Having an ecosystem of information sources (e.g., television, radio, social media, text alerts, and tornado warning alarm systems) that is trustworthy, unbiased, and accessible to the mainstream public serves as an important aspect of the civic fabric. Media can also facilitate the exchange of information, ideas, and perspectives within a community. These channels help to inform citizens, promote dialogue, and mobilize collective action.
• Education and Lifelong Learning: Education, both formal and informal, plays a vital role in building civic knowledge, skills, and values. Lifelong learning opportunities empower individuals to participate more effectively in civic life and contribute to the well-being of their communities.
• Cultural Diversity and Inclusion: Embracing and celebrating cultural diversity fosters a sense of belonging and social cohesion within a community. Inclusive policies and practices ensure that all members of society have equitable opportunities to participate in civic life and access resources and services.

By nurturing these components and strengthening the connections among them, communities can build a robust civic fabric that promotes resilience, inclusivity, and collective well-being.
 

**What is the mission of Radical Unity?
 

Radical Unity is a project to reduce the fracturing of society with unexpected creative expressions of unity that will cultivate our common humanity through bridging differences, community engagement, and strengthening the civic fabric.

Application Requirements

Requests:

NOTE: Please note that this project must be completed by October 6th, 2024.

Completed through the application, we request that you please provide the following:

1. A creative or artist statement (250 words);
2. A proposed project description (250 words);
3. A proposed timeline, which demonstrates the work completed by October 6th;
4. A simple budget and proposed venue for your proposed project (example listed in the question);
5. Three examples of your artistic practice with specifications;
6. Proof of residency (6 months at current address, and minimum 2 years total residency in the state, not needing to be consecutive);
7. Two references to attest to your community involvement and artistic practice; and
8. Answer four questions regarding your project's intended impact.

Eligibility Criteria

We encourage Arizonans from across the state to apply for this opportunity, especially those living in communities that lack arts investment. To be eligible, you need to:

• Have lived a minimum of 2 years in Arizona (not necessarily consecutively)
• Complete the application through CaFE