For the closing event of Open Engagement 2013 we set out to collect 100 questions generated by the assembled group of conference attendees to further get a sense of what is emerging, what people are thinking, and where this conversation is going. This was inspired by Sister Corita’s “quantity assignments,” to generate 100 questions before embarking on intensive work and research. The format was that each of our six panelists joined one of six seated groups that each had about 40 chairs, and we then had about 35 minutes to work together and for each group to write 17 questions and then we reconvened and the panelists shared the group work.

It was the hope that after the conference we could then reflect on this list of the questions we are currently asking ourselves about socially engaged art. This series of blog posts sets out to do just that.

In the lead up to OE 2014 we are launching a blog that will have 100 contributors from the field reflecting on these 100 collectively generated questions. Each contributor has been assigned one question to write about.

These blog posts are not intended to answer the questions necessarily, but possibly to address why it is being asked? Why it matters or doesn’t matter? These blog posts will provide an important venue before the conference to deepen our shared exploration of the ideas and questions that socially engaged art provokes.

Thank you to all of the contributors at Open Engagement 2013 who participated in this process. We hope that highlighting these questions will help to continue to push forward the conversations and work. We look forward to continuing this generative conversation in May in New York!

Jen Delos Reyes
Founder and Director, Open Engagement

100 Questions Blog Project is edited by: Gemma-Rose Turnbull, with support from Jen Delos Reyes and Arianna Jacob.