Small Town/Big Arts

These can be unsettling times. Many predict that Artificial General Intelligence could emerge within the next few years. Rather than envisioning Skynet from the?Terminator?movies, let’s consider how integrating digital "individuals" could support an overburdened, overworked, and underfunded sector—like arts organizations in small communities.. https://lnkd.in/e7ym863D

We're back! Small Town Big Arts is offering the online course "Thriving Community Arts" through the University of Lynchburg's Professional Development Institute (starts April 7th). Join us for a free information session on March 10th. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eWBRyhxB

The?USDA?has funds specifically earmarked for rural communities and in particular, performance spaces and cinemas. I have written a guide for movie theaters and performing arts venues in rural locales that can use programs at the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) and the Rural Housing Service (RHS). Read here: https://lnkd.in/eZZe5gcx If you live in a yellow area of this map, you likely qualify.

"The Sphere’s struggles remind us that, even with the best technology and record-breaking attendance, the live performance business model is inherently fragile and on a knife’s edge. It demands constant innovation, careful financial planning, and, perhaps most importantly, community wide support." New post on Small Town/Big Arts. https://lnkd.in/e34NeGKf

Excited to launch a new Small Town/Big Arts online forum. A space where smaller community arts leaders can ask questions, share ideas, and find colleagues. https://lnkd.in/e4V4J-8Q

Sometimes the catalyst for artistic output isn’t an artist or an arts organization but an economic development office or a community development corporation. I call this "The Cultivator." Kay Decker with the Freedom West CDC in Woods County, Oklahoma, the number 10 most arts-vibrant county identified in the SMU DataArts’ "Top 30 Arts-Vibrant Rural Counties" study, opened my eyes to another category of organization that can thrive in a small community. In this month's podcast we talk about how “The Cultivator” can be the catalyst for arts vibrancy in a small community. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ePvvnH97 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eHP6FqWh

Excited to announce a new textbook available for pre-order tomorrow, June 19th. The book,?Rural Arts Management, written by Elise Kieffer, PhD and Jerome Socolof, provides a valuable resource for scholars, advanced students and reflective practitioners at the intersection of the arts and rural studies. Pre-order your copy: https://lnkd.in/eXJaaCks. Link here?to listen to an interview with the authors: https://lnkd.in/gvUfTQbY