Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlton Mackey.
Hi Carlton, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I believe in the power of art to affect positive social change. I am the assistant director of education, community dialogue and engagement at the High Museum of Art. In this new role, I build strategic partnerships and relationships in the community, frame productive discussions (both internally and externally) around fundamental issues defining contemporary society and develop audience-centered programming that bridges our unique institutional strengths with community needs and interests. I joined a High a little less than a year ago, having spent the previous 15 years of my career at Emory University. At Emory, I was a lecturer in the Department of Film and media, the director of ethics and of the arts program at the Emory University Center for Ethics and co-creator /co-director of the Emory University Arts and Social Justice Fellowship Program. Created in the fall of 2020 amid a groundswell of national attention to racial and social injustice and inspired by faith in the power of art to open spaces for conversation, community-making and collective action, the Arts and Social Justice Fellows Program brings Atlanta artists into Emory classrooms to help students translate their learning into creative activism in the name of racial justice.
I hold an electrical engineering degree from Tuskegee University and a master of divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
On a personal level, transitions present both challenges and opportunities. Moving to a new organization after spending a long time at my previous institution required me to learn new systems and workflows and to navigate the nuances of human dynamics within the new organization. However, I am also excited about the opportunities to build new relationships within the organization and the broader community.
As a cultural organization, we face two ongoing challenges: staying connected and relevant to the communities we serve and creating and maintaining their trust. We must be nimble enough to adjust to the ever-changing needs of our communities and to the changing political and social climate of a broader society. We must also leverage the power of art to explore, embrace, uplift and articulate the topics most essential to our city and the historical moment in which we live. This is a challenge, as we must do so in a way that strengthens self-awareness and awareness of others and that frames public discussion in a way that deepens understanding and engenders empathy rather than widening divides.
Amid this challenge, we have the wonderful opportunity to do all of this with creativity, curiosity and courage. Our work is rooted in seeking goodness alongside one another. In this pursuit, and to understand both art and one another more fully, we strive to approach each engagement with generous curiosity and perceptive empathy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The High Museum of Art’s education department connects Atlantans with art and ideas to inspire better civic life. We activate the museum’s collections and exhibitions with inclusive learning opportunities, and we collaborate to share creative practices alongside art and artists. Our work cultivates growth through inquiry and strengthens people’s connections with themselves, one another and the wider world.
In this vein, an aspect of my work that I am excited to share is a new initiative at the High Museum that I have the pleasure of co-leading, with Noa Schmitz, called OASIS. This program allows those who seek a calming and contemplative event to have a home at the High alongside those seeking communal celebration during our other Friday evenings. It also reflects our work and experience taking spirituality seriously as a primary meaning-maker and an important part of engaging art and creativity.
In addition to the High’s amazing collection of art being on display, OASIS offers four other unique experiences intentionally crafted to transform the Museum into a place of deep reflection and hyper presence that we hope improves mental health and fosters self-discovery and a sense of community and connection.
The first of those four experiences are a series of movement-based sessions offered by local yoga and wellness instructors from the Atlanta community. Thanks to the sponsorship of lululemon, six distinct movement-based sessions are offered during each OASIS, and yoga mats are provided for each guest who participates. These sessions, which last roughly 45 minutes, blend yoga, deep stretching, breathing exercises and journaling.
Each month there is also a sonic experience that may function as either casual meditation or a tranquil space to simply sit or lay quietly. Past experiences have included a sound bath with Himalayan singing bowls by certified sound therapist Margo Gomes, as well as the sounds of Okorie Johnson also known as Okello.
Through a series of conversations with our new director of education, Andrew Westover, who too comes to the museum with a commitment to and expertise in bridging the intersection of art and spirituality, and because of our shared belief that spirituality and spiritual practices are core to the mindfulness practices of many, we have pioneered a conversation series within OASIS called “Seeing With Spirit”—a casual, thoughtful conversation connecting art and spiritual practice. Each month, a faith, spiritual or contemplative practitioner joins a High staff member in a conversation centered on a work of art and the ways that work of art invites deeper reflection into their contemplative practice. Past guests have included Lauren Tate Baeza (the High’s Fred and Rita Richman Curator of African Art), a Yoruba priestess, a Tibetan Buddhist monk and a Christian theologian. Each month we will engage a different guest with a different spiritual practice.
Finally, we create space for art-making activities throughout the evening. Guests are free to choose art materials for self-driven artistic creations, be guided through pre-selected activities by a teaching artist or a community partner such as Scraplanta, or create a still life plant drawing with plants provided by local florist Tropical Express.
OASIS is a tremendous vehicle for community engagement that couldn’t happen without each department at the High, and it stands out from other programs within the Museum itself or other events throughout the city. It is welcoming for guests of all ages, and thanks to our partnership with local tea company Just Add Honey and our own in-house signature mocktails, we provide robust offerings for audiences seeking zero-proof options. OASIS allows us to lean fully into our vision of building strategic partnerships and relationships with community partners consisting of artists, educators, activists, spiritual and civic leaders and other organizations both for-profit and non-profit.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Over the next five to 10 years, I believe we will continue to see a rise in digital technologies and what will soon be the ubiquity of artificial intelligence—including in the digital co-creation of art. This will have an impact on how we perceive art and how we engage with it. Because of this, I believe that we will see a greater focus on digital engagement. Not only will museums and cultural organizations look to find ways to reach people in virtual spaces, we will also increase our focus on experiential learning. I believe these institutions will increasingly focus on providing visitors with hands-on, interactive experiences. I see a greater focus on collaboration: museums and cultural institutions will increasingly collaborate with each other, as well as with other organizations, to create new and innovative programs and exhibitions. Third, I believe that we will see an even greater focus on social impact. While cultural institutions have always contributed to making a positive difference in our world, I believe museums will continue to make our work more visible and expand on existing programs to showcase the vital role we play in society. This will likely include a continued commitment to working to address social issues. I believe this will help to broaden their reach and impact. Our greatest role will emerge out of our ability to be seen as adaptive partners making meaning with our communities and inspiring others to believe that our future together will be brighter than our past.
Pricing:
- $18.50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.high.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highmuseumofart/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/HighMuseumofArt
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HighMuseumofArt
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HighMuseum
Image Credits
All photos by Connor Barber Freelance.
