Public Art Highlighted as a Tool for Community Building

Center webinar presents three communities that are investing in the arts for community and economic development.

In our October 17 webinar on Animating Your Community Through the Arts – part of our Building the New Forest Future series – panelists from across the region shared insights on the role public art as a means of building welcoming and inclusive communities.

Leslie Karasin, the Center’s Adirondack Program Director, facilitated a discussion among three community leaders paving the way for public art in their towns. We recorded the discussion for you to watch at the link below.

Our panelists were Emilie Allen, Vice Chair of Saranac Lake Arts & Culture Advisory Board, Rick Ufford-Chase, Director of Newport City Downtown Development, and Kate Webb, Program Director of Bethel Area Arts and Music.

The discussion spanned a diverse range of topics – from the economic value of supporting the arts to garnering public support for new projects.

Key takeaways from the discussion include:

Art creates an opportunity for folks to engage in a conversation.
Collaboration is important, no one group can do it all on their own.
Building your town as an arts destination can differentiate and diversify the local economy.
Community input and participation is key to building support and a shared sense of ownership.

We hope you enjoy the recording. Please share it with others who are interested in supporting the arts in their community.

Building the New Forest Future: Center Webinar Series

Building the New Forest Future is a webinar series that amplifies stories, practices, and lessons from community development, sustainable tourism, and rural economy in the Northern Forest. Read more

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Isabella Ronson-Amrein

Program Manager

Cell: 804-912-7145