Mapping and Preserving the Art and Hidden Histories of Santa Monica

FAIN: AE-264270-19

Santa Monica College (Santa Monica, CA 90405-1628)
Briana Simmons (Project Director: July 2018 to October 2022)

A three-year curriculum development project on the art and architecture of Santa Monica and west Los Angeles County.

Serving west Los Angeles County in California, Santa Monica College’s Humanities Initiative at Community Colleges project will explore the diverse stories of west Los Angeles, using its visual art to move beyond the dominant narrative and incorporate the lesser known stories of color that have helped to shape the region. Working collaboratively with students and community organizations, faculty from the Art History program will integrate these stories into their courses as a means for engaging the college’s diverse student population and building community connection. Faculty will house these stories in a digital database that provides faculty and students with access to non-linear knowledge that can move through time and establishes a ground that fosters deeper context with the material. Once established, the digital database will serve as a resource for other humanities programs interested in using visual studies as a means for strengthening learning and promoting engagement.