Traditional Arts – Creative Minds Out Loud

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Greg Jenkins, Executive Director of the Somerville Arts Council, shares how he and his colleagues build relationships with Somerville’s diverse new immigrant populations as both arts audience members and programming partners. This type of community engagement identifies new sources of cultural energy and assets, he says, and a willingness to enter a world that may be unfamiliar.

Greg Jenkins. Photo courtesy of Commonwealth Journal. Since 2001, Greg Jenkins has been the Executive Director of the Somerville Arts Council. His professional experience includes arts education, public folklore and community-based programming. Since 2005 he has spearheaded cultural economic development initiatives within Somerville. Jenkins holds a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Folklore.

Continue reading “Episode 80: Partnering with New Immigrants”

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For 30 years, Angkor Dance Troupe has been a creative youth development leader in Lowell, MA, a city with the second-largest Cambodian population in the United States. Angkor connects families to what it means to be Khmer, gives young people opportunity, and shares beautiful stories of the Khmer people and their cultural heritage.

Linda Sou was there from day one. At the age of three, she began her training with Angkor Dance Troupe and would grow up to become its executive director. She shares what it means to preserve and share a nearly-lost art form.

Linda Sopheap Sou finds tremendous pride in the City of Lowell and champions efforts around youth development, community coalition building, and cultural preservation and innovation. A daughter to Cambodian refugees, Linda was born and raised in Lowell and currently resides in the Centralville neighborhood with her partner, Steven Flynn.

Continue reading “Episode 40: Ancient Dance Emboldens Youth’s Future”