The Community Documentation Workshop (CDW) equips grassroots organizations in our region with the skills and perspectives to document and present their own cultural traditions in ways that center their voices and authorship, advancing self-determination. Documentary teams led by a “community scholar” — someone from the communities we were documenting, committed to preserving and documenting the cultural heritage of their community — create short documentary videos. These videos advance the goals, visions, and needs of each organization, sharing stories of cultural resilience, the artistry of tradition bearers, and intergenerational cultural sustainability.
Culture and Community
Traditions, annual celebrations, and artistic practices reflect our shared cultural identities. They bring us joy and bring us together. These things we do together express who we are, where we come from, and are the products of the worlds in which we live. Culture and community also ground us in times of uncertainty and unrest. Sharing these traditions creates a broader vision of where we live and can foster a more democratic community. Yet sharing these traditions – sometimes very private affairs, often misrepresented, stereotyped, or exoticized in mass media – can come with risks for the communities and individuals sharing their cultural identities and traditions more broadly.
When we tell stories that are not our own, how do we remain accountable to the people sharing their stories with us? How do we collaborate across lines of difference to share stories reflecting the dignity and resilience of our communities? How do we reclaim our own voices and speak with authority when powerful institutions seek to divide us? The Southern Tier Community Documentation Workshop is for people who want to answer those questions together.
Training Topics Will Include:
- Learning about local cultural traditions and folklife
- Oral history interview training
- Basic and intermediate photography and videography using DSLR cameras
- Basic and intermediate video editing in Adobe Premiere Elements
- Crafting narratives for video and social media
Time Commitment and Availability Requirements
The Community Documentation Workshop will begin with a day-long orientation workshop on Saturday, September 20, and will include a second day-long workshop on Sunday, November 2. Bi-weekly meetings will be held on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm. Beyond that, the schedule is flexible, but participants should estimate 5-7 hours a week between September 20 and December 18, and plan on attending one meeting or workshop per week. The complete schedule is below.
Who should apply?
We are looking for people excited to document local cultures in ways rooted in observation, asking questions, listening, and reflection. People with experience in making media are a plus, but formal education is not required. We are also looking for people with some experience doing oral history interviews. Again, formal education is not required. Participants should be able to work as part of a team and enjoy collaborating. Participants should respect and empower the experiences, perspectives, and stories of the community organizations we are working closely with. People of color, working-class people, and LGBTQ+ people are strongly encouraged to apply. Meetings will take place in Corning.
Important Dates:
- Saturday, September 20, 10am – 4pm
- Monday, September 22, 6 – 8pm OR Thursday, September 25, 6 – 8pm
- Monday, September 29, 6 – 8pm OR Thursday, October 2, 6 – 8pm
- Thursday, October 16, 6 – 8pm
- Sunday, November 2, 10am – 4pm
- Thursday, November 13, 6 – 8pm
- Thursday, December 4, 6 – 8pm
- Thursday, December 18, 6 – 8pm
