What We Do
We believe museums have the power to change the way people think, feel, and operate in the world. For this reason alone, these institutions have immense power and responsibility, especially when holding cultural treasures that, more often than not, were stolen or acquired during times of desperation. Live Oak Consulting harnesses Dr. Dartt’s vast experience with art and cultural institutions to reevaluate and reframe how these institutions can restore connection to the communities associated with these objects through education, culturally relevant exhibitions, and other reciprocal means. Through in-depth analysis, systems thinking, evaluation, and community collaboration, Live Oak Consulting meets these institution’s where they are at and, together, we evaluate the institution’s relationship with Native objects and communities and we create actionable plans for moving forward to better stewardship.
Dr. Dartt also co-created the Standards for Museums with Native American Collections (SMNAC) to guide and make recommendations around all aspects of work within museums holding Native collections. Learn more about SMNAC here.
Our Projects
The Native Cultures Fund, Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Granting Evaluation
Contracted by the Humboldt Area Foundation, Live Oak Consulting conducted an in-depth evaluation for the Native Cultures Fund (NCF) 17 years of grantmaking. The Native Cultures Fund has supported over 300 artists, culture bearers, and tribal researchers since the 1990s. Live Oak Consulting used indigenous methodologies and community-informed strategies to collect and analyze data in order to evaluate the NCF’s effectiveness and to inform their strategic planning that emphasizes meaningful, reciprocal relationships. Find the full evaluation report here.