Marion Co. Cultural Heritage Assets Mapping Project & Artists’ Survey Kick-Off & Launch

This 1.5-hour-long Zoom kickoff event — offered remotely to accessibly bring together diverse Marion County communities & participants — will introduce the wider Marion County community to Marion Voices’ Marion County Cultural Heritage Assets Mapping (CHAMP) Project, alongside a related survey of artist’s livelihoods in Marion County which will launch at the same time: sharing project methodology, goals, & the core program team to the community, & collaboratively planning for our upcoming cultural heritage assets mapping sessions across Marion County cultural & geographic communities in the Spring of 2024.

Combining a hands-on public humanities introduction to the rise of cultural heritage assets mapping across disciplines as a transformative mode of community-engaged, participatory story-sharing — with case studies & examples from communities around the country — with live opportunities to practice cultural heritage assets mapping, our session will ready our Marion Voice audience & new communities for our CHAMP work, while launching into the work of mapping & building directories of Marion County’s diverse cultural heritage resources. For new audiences, the session will also briefly introduce the work of Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History: Marion County’s countywide public folklore, cultural arts, & public history for justice organization.

Participants should come ready to reflect on their own traditions & cultural landscapes, & to share cultural resources & annotate maps in small breakout rooms or collectively. No prior assets mapping experience necessary! Artists, culture-keepers, local historians, & the general public are all welcome. Activities can be adapted for ages 5+; young people are very welcome.

This event will be held on Zoom for geographic & disability accessibility. Tickets are free; optional donations to Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History are welcome. Due to Eventbrite limitations & to ensure audience participation, event attendance will be capped to the first 25 registrations. Register here:

http://tinyurl.com/MVchampkickoff

The kickoff will be recorded for those unable to attend.

This event was funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council & Ohio Humanities. Thank you to our funders for your support of transformative participatory cultural documentation in Marion County!