From inception, community TV has existed to preserve ‘just, creative & individual’ expression and the freedoms that make it makes possible. When portrayed as an electronic soap box, it reinforced singular ideas by individuals rather than the potential of a place based hub for creative change and coalition building. ‘Bringing people together’ versus ‘allowing people in, to do their thing’ are very different dynamics.
Local culture hubs, third spaces, offer more than a platform. However, there are some essential dynamics: community trust and flexibility to pivot to meet immediate community needs. As a base for mutual aid, organizing, distributing information, building social connection, or advocating: hubs enable people to empower their communities of interest. Hubs remain open to people doing their thing, collectively. I believe that our Community Media Center with studioW within, elevates the creative potential possible in a Third Space.
In his 1989 book The Great Good Place, sociologist Oldenburg advocates that to live a balanced, happy life, people need engagement in three realms – at home, work, and in third places. Third places act as a core setting for informal public life, offering connection, community, and sociability (Oldenburg, 1989)…and transferable confidence.
Inclusive Events: Improv to multi-voice performance
Some of our best studioW moments have been with theater peeps. In 2011, the first studioW event explored the space as Black Box theatre sampling one-act plays, poetry, and music with fluidity and audience engagement. This eventually led to a formative residency with Connecticut Compass improv @2018-19 (Shawn Murray and crew) after a few engagements with more traditional albeit eccentric theater ensembles. Two off, off, off Broadway Fringe plays (Piece Theater) and an an occasional scene by Backyard Theater Ensemble (Their work is staged in the lovely Hole In The Wall Theater in New Britain) and Free At Last Theater. Storytelling was featured intermittently in homegrown efforts and visiting ensembles such as Ubuntu Storytellers. These occasions incorporated food & drink and engagement with the tellers. We are excited about the newest theatre company in Wallingford, Golden Fox Theatre Co, and its collaboration with Wallingford Grange for its community productions. And we look forward to more collaboration and audience engagement with The Puppet Village. More to come thanks to the New England Arts Foundation ‘Walking Together’ fund for folklife in communities of color.
Embracing studioW as our core purpose: Story > Conversation > CommUnity
Volunteers transformed what was once a cow barn into multipurpose media center; a place-based adaptive space for community meetings, theater, art exhibits, and special programs like film initiatives and media internships of various kinds. We bring creators together in response to the community’s needs for civic and digital literacy, and well-being. We are leaning into our mission: To provide a brave, safe, and creative space for a diversity of expression from within our community. #MoreThanTV We embrace our space and its tools for advocacy understanding that Democracy Is A Creative Practice. We collaborate with other local nonprofits to help advance their missions.
We may have started as a soapbox dedicated to TV made by, and for, the people. But as they discovered what they did not know they needed we discovered that at our core was the art of storytelling. A good story often leads to conversation. From there comes understanding and action to be the change we want to see.
A Thing U Save
A few believed in the relevance of a platform for public speech when local government sought to eliminate the ‘public’ aspect of community media in Wallingford. In response, a handful of volunteers, me among them, evolved what creative empowerment could mean in our community. If a few continue to believe, we will be among the things “U save in a firestorm of tyranny”. Together we will may make to the other side of uncertain times.
