Choreographer, author, educator, and 2002 MacArthur Genius Grant Fellowship recipient Liz Lerman comes in conversation with Deana Haggag, Director of the Baltimore-based nomadic museum The Contemporary as part of the Americans for the Arts Artists & Communities series, pairing veteran community arts leaders with emerging community arts leaders to share their visions for, experiences with, and challenges to making healthy, equitable, vibrant communities through arts and culture.

What followed was a vibrant conversation that wondered about, questioned, and affirmed the important role of the artist in a challenged and changing Baltimore—the city both woman call home. Throughout the conversation, Liz and Deana touched on key themes of:

• Leadership—both as a positive factor in creating change, and as a challenge
• Action—how to progress the same, repeated conversation toward change
• Collaboration—who owns a collaboration and how true collaboration can exist

Part of the Americans for the Arts Artists & Communities conversation series that pairs veteran community arts leaders with emerging community arts leaders to share their visions for, experiences with, and challenges to making healthy, equitable, vibrant communities through arts and culture. As community-based work receives more recognition, and intersections and collaborations become stronger, these conversations illuminate just how artists and community arts leaders can work to sustain and maintain healthy communities through their practice.