Building Community: Making Space for Art

Examines the role of the arts in communities; artists working in community development, education, health, or environmental fields; and contemporary art spaces in community planning and revitalization strategies

Measuring cultural vitality in communities

Until recently, arts and culture data collected as part of urban revitalization planning focused on large institutions. The Urban Institute’s Arts and Culture Indicators Project provides a richer understanding of communities’ cultural strength and how it can boost economic development.Community arts projects

Artist Space Development: Making the Case

Based on case studies, discusses the challenges advocates of artist space development face, the arguments they make to garner support, the strategic approaches they take, and what they achieve in making artist space a priority in community development

Cultural Vitality in Communities: Interpretation and Indicators

This report introduces a definition of cultural vitality that includes the range of cultural activity people around the country find significant. We use this definition as a lens to clarify our understanding of data necessary, as well as the more limited data currently available, to document arts and culture in communities in a consistent, recurrent and reliable manner. Specifically, we define cultural vitality as evidence of creating, disseminating, validating, and supporting arts and culture as a dimension of everyday life in communities. We develop and recommend an initial set of arts and culture indicators derived from nationally available data, and compare selected metropolitan areas based on these measures. Policy and planning implications for use of the cultural vitality definition and related measures are discussed

Culture and Commerce

Illustrates the possibilities and challenges of making partnerships between economic development agencies and traditional arts organizations work. Examines the outcome of eight collaborations that were formed as part of a partnership funding initiative

Community Partnerships for Cultural Participation: Concepts, Prospects, and Challenges

Evaluates the first year of the Wallace Foundation's Community Partnerships for Cultural Participation Initiative, which funded nine community foundations working to increase participation in the arts and culture in their communities

Arts and Culture in Communities: Systems of Support

Presents findings by the Urban Institute's Arts and Culture Indicators in Community Building Project on the characteristics of support systems that are most likely to produce opportunities for cultural engagement

Arts and Culture in Communities: Unpacking Participation

Presents findings by the Urban Institute's Arts and Culture Indicators in Community Building Project on a range of arts and cultural participation within the context of various community building processes

Arts and Culture in Communities: A Framework for Measurement

Offers a framework for capturing and measuring arts, culture, and creative expression at the neighborhood level. Discusses the presence of opportunities for cultural participation, impacts of participation, and support systems for cultural expression

Investing in Creativity: A Study of the Support Structure for U.S. Artists

Documents and analyzes the environment of support for individual artists. Provides a framework for analysis of various dimensions of the support structure, nationally and in specific sites across the U.S. Includes support programs and policy initiatives