The Emergence of Rural Artistic Havens:

Abstract

Nearly all applied research on arts activity has examined phenomena in metropolitan areas. Findings from this past research confirm an arts specialization in a limited number of cities. This paper finds a similar pattern in nonmetropolitan areas, where a limited number of coun-ties maintain or develop a distinct specialization in the arts. We document the emergence of these “rural artistic havens ” and identify county characteristics associated with the attraction of performing, fine, and applied artists. The implications of these findings for rural develop-ment strategies focusing on the arts are discussed