e-culture: The Survey Says..., World Music, Americana, Border Crossings
May 12, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE The 2002 Leisure Activity Survey Says... Special Features on International and Regional Music Border Crossings: Films from South Asia Summer Brings Exciting Travel Opportunities

Greetings,

We have been looking at issues of quality of life and participation in leisure and cultural activities for the past two years in a project we started before September 11, 2001. In an effort we initiated last week, we are now looking at ways to hold public forums on these matters by first speaking with small organizations to learn the concerns of their audiences. We want participation and comments, since that is very much the impetus for this effort -- increased participation and community voice. We will be presenting much of the research conclusions and opinions on line, beginning with a survey we conducted in late 2002 to examine how much time people invest in their interests and where those interests rank.

The 2002 Leisure Activity Survey Says...

In October 2002, we surveyed 332 people concerning the time they dedicate to their leisure interests. Those surveyed reported spending an average of 10.67 hours per week watching television and 0.77 hours attending cultural performances. Also ranking at the bottom were art and education exhibits, live music, reading and writing. Joining television at the top were computer use and shopping.
http://www.houstonculture.org/survey/activity2002.html

We are correlating the local data to similar national research and will post the comparisons in the next few weeks. As unbalanced as the numbers appear, the national trends appear to reveal a greater disparity.

After we began to discuss issues of cultural literacy on Thursday night, May 8, it became apparent that the survey results would be useful right away and further research necessary as we explore facets of cultural literacy, including media, education, consumer trends, etc.

The information presented is somewhat preliminary, but you should find it very interesting. The material will be expanded in the weeks to come and will be available at the following address:

Survey of Leisure Interests:
http://www.houstonculture.org/survey
(As we build in more information, this link will show the contents.)

Rankings by Average Time Invested:
http://www.houstonculture.org/survey/activityrank2002.html


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Special Features on International and Regional Music

You will want to tune in for some very special Monday night features on KTRU, 91.7 FM.

Tonight from 7 to 9pm on the World Music Show we will feature women vocalists of the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa, including Mayada El Hennawy, Seda Garibyan, Mira Mushebaeva, Panseluta Feraru, Amila Baksic and the Morrocan vocal group Bnet Houariyat. We will also hear hard-to-find music of Boban Markovic Orkestar "Live in Belgrade," and a fun klezmer pair, Yid Vicious and The Klezmer Conservatory Band.

Also tonight from 9 to 10pm on the Americana Show we will explore the music of east Texas Blues legend, Lightnin' Hopkins, as well as two preeminent artists in regional music history, Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie.

Next Monday night we will feature Houston artist Lydia Mendoza and offer a special feature on Hispano Folk Music of the Rio Grande del Norte. Be sure to listen for this rare compilation of music and dialogue on the distinctive cultures of New Mexico.


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Border Crossings: Films from South Asia

Voices Breaking Boundaries, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Aurora Picture Show present

BORDER CROSSINGS, Films from South Asia
May 15-17, 2003 at Brown Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet, Houston TX 77006, 713.639.7515
and, May 29-30, Aurora Picture Show
800 Aurora Street, Houston, TX 77009, 713.868.2101
Full pass for 5 nights and 8 shows $25; daily tickets $5-$6.00
Full pass for 5 nights and 8 shows including closing dinner $45; individual meal tickets $15

Voices Breaking Boundaries, an organization known for its passion and commitment for exploring controversial issues, will host BORDER CROSSINGS, a festival with five nights of screening spectacular documentary films, shipped directly from one of the worldıs most volatile regions, South Asia. BORDER CROSSINGS, a festival in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Aurora Picture Show, will showcase films from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The lineup includes Jang Aur Aman/War and Peace, an anti-nuclear film that was banned in India. The closing screening of BORDER CROSSINGS at Aurora Picture Show on May 30 will feature A Taste for a Place, a documentary that celebrates the immigrant experience through cuisine and VBB will host a South Asian feast to celebrate the festival.

To reserve a dinner ticket or to buy a Film Pass, call 713.228.2052 or email info@voicesbreakingboundaries.org

For details about Border Crossings, please visit:
http://www.voicesbreakingboundaries.org

Also, the film schedule and additional information is available in our last newsletter:
http://www.houstonculture.org/archive/e030507.html#border


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Summer Brings Exciting Travel Opportunities

Summer Travel:
We are preparing our summer vacations and winding down our activities for the next couple of months. We won't have many more e-culture newsletters until the fall, but we will keep you informed about these upcoming cultural adventures:
) The Creoles of the Cane River, July
) Western Canyon Explorers Adventure, August
) El Nacimiento and Colonia de los Kikapu (Kickapoo and Seminole settlements in northern Mexico), August (tentative)
) Traditional Indian Dances at Acoma Pueblo (Sky City), September
) The Tarahumara of Copper Canyon, November

There are also plans for two or three research trips to Mexico in late summer/early fall that you may want to get involved with, so please stay in touch with us over the summer by attending a meeting or program.


Upcoming Programs:
While we are wrapping up a very busy series of events, there are still two more programs, and possible a third, set for this summer. They include, "Four Directions, Four Cultures, Four Corners... Four Territorial Histories of New Mexico" and "Anasazi (the Ancient Puebloans) and the Modern Navajo." We will let you know more about these as they drawn near.


Next General Interest Meeting:
We will meet next on Tuesday, May 20, at 7:30pm. The meeting will be held at Fadi's Mediterranean Grill, 4738 Beechnut at Loop 610 in Meyerland. Stay tuned for specific meeting information and agenda updates:
http://www.houstonculture.org/meeting


Board Member Nominations:
We will be seeking nominations for two open board positions later this summer. Board members must be concerned with cultural issues and the mission of the organization, and should be ready to invest time and energy in the organization. If you are interested, please visit with me at the next General Interest Meeting on May 20, or call 713-521-3686.


Cultural Advocate of the Year:
A committee will be forming soon to select the Cultural Advocate of the Year for 2003. If you are interested, please attend the next General Interest Meeting (mentioned above) on Tuesday, May 20, at 7:30pm, or call 713-521-3686. See the previous cultural advocates selected:
http://www.houstonculture.org/main/cay.html



Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


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