I have a difficult question— how can Redefining Craft serve a set of needs that are not being served by the Critical Craft Forum?

I'm seeking the community’s input on these and other questions which will help me determine if and how Redefining Craft can serve as an online platform for the American craft community.

Here are a few preliminary thoughts-- if this platform is to actually serve a national and international audience, it needs to be a gathering place for everyone.

However, from experience, I know very well that the primary challenge is that there is a very clear tension between criticism and cheerleading— this is where the community is stuck.

How can we support criticism and authentic thought leadership?

I have tried this many times. As one example— I asked the question about the line between criticism and cheerleading in 2014, here’s what happened:

Regarding Bruce Metcalf's recent article, "Hot Glue & Staples" in American Craft (June/July 2014)-- I wonder: where exactly is the line between criticism and cheerleading?

Is the critique of the "absence of craftsmanship" in an artwork simply "profitable malingering" in the sense that this is the type of "criticism" that the Critical Craft Forum and readers of American Craft Magazine want to hear?

For context, to this, I add a quote from Kenneth Burke's "A Rhetoric of Motives": "If a social or occupational class is not too exacting in the scrutiny of identifications that flatter its interests, its very life is a profitable malingering." Whereas, malingering is defined as the "purposeful production of falsely or grossly exaggerated complaints with the goal of receiving a reward".

http://craftcouncil.org/magazine/article/hot-glue-staples

My intent here is simply to "push critical dialogue" and offer a place "where discussions can extend our collective understanding of the field at large".

The sad part is all too often what I get back is-- deafening silence.

So with all this in mind, here are a few questions that are open for discussion:

- Would a platform designed for American craft need to be under the direction of the American Craft Council?

- Does this new platform need to focus on annual conventions?

- Other platforms focus primarily on an online exchange, such as the Critical Craft Forum, how can this platform meet the needs of the community through "pedagogically useful" blogs, podcasts, videos, etc?

- What problems do conventions address that an online forum or streaming live video might struggle to address?

- What is the role of someone who signs up to be a subscriber on this site, is this a spectator sport or is actual dialogue possible?

- How do we balance authentic criticism of the field with support and cheerleading?

- When is a site like Critical Craft Forum really necessary?

- What are the needs that are not being met in the communities of two different platforms— in the space between the Critical Craft Forum and Redefining Craft?

- How can we make sure that this platform is not an echo chamber?