Word: mayman
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...extent of the office's programs, in fact, is remarkable given its meager beginnings--especially in a place where the arts had not always been strongly supported. Ten years ago, when Mayman arrived at Agassiz, she had no idea of the direction of the newly designed Office of the Arts. When she originally met with Presidents Bok and Horner, for instance, she recalls that they told her "they had a cumbersome job offer"--to initiate an undefined and novel arts project...
...Mayman was actually given to jobs. Horner wanted her to run Radcliffe's long-existing extracurricular arts program, which included the Agassiz Theater, a pottery studio, a dance program, a painting studio in Currier House, and a print workshop. Bok was less specific, encouraging her to design programs to get students actively involved in the arts, rather than just teaching history or theory, which were already covered in the curriculum. Translated into practice, this commission gave Mayman essentially a free hand in developing the office...
...office's approach to boosting the arts since then has always been to encourage learning from others, and Mayman is especially leery about trying to control students' artistic directions. After a program or student project has been funded, for example, her office backs off and does not try to influence them. "What we can provide on a permanent basis--what students can't provide for themselves--is bringing artists here to teach." Mayman says, explaining her priorities...
Radcliffe's Horner, a strong supporter of Mayman's operation, cites the office's Artists in Residence program as an example of its ability to enhance student's access to the arts. The office allows artists to use Radcliffe facilities in exchange for providing opportunities for students to participate or observe. Consequently, students can get a glimpse of the struggles and decision making involved with creating an artistic work. Horner says. Just last spring, for instance, the Musical Theater Lab rehearsed a production on the second floor of Agassiz and in turn allowed students to view their final product...
...project is the Learning from Performers program. During the past few years, the Office has brought such artists as Robert Redford, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright. Marsha Norman and Norman Lear to Harvard. Attracting artists is haphazard--depending on "who happens to know who," according to Mayman...