art
Steal all the ideas
As you travel, locally or further, take a look at what other communities are doing to create ways for people to remember them (placemaking.) In Gulfport where I live, the Port Authority lights up the port with the colors of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is kind of a big deal down here. Where could you…
Read MoreFishbone Alley Gulfport Mississippi
Hurricane Katrina damaged downtown Gulfport, Mississippi in 2005. During restoration they found brick pavers under the asphalt. These were used in 1908 to build their streets. In 2016 those pavers were used in an economic development project called Fishbone Alley. Local artists have created a visual delight as you walk down the alley. This is…
Read MoreSmall steps for downtown placemaking
My friend has written a grant for funding to re-do the bump outs in our downtown as part of a placemaking project. There will be trees to help cool down the area. They hope to have bicycle racks specially designed as art. Then another friend told me about a small town in Missouri that painted…
Read MoreArt and empty buildings
SaveYour.Town received an email with a story about art and an empty building we want to share today. Deb Land, the Mural Coordinator for Sayre Revitalization in Athens, PA sent this. You have all been so helpful to our small town of Sayre, PA. I read your newsletter faithfully! We have had two successful Pop Up…
Read MoreThere’s a little bit of artist in all of us
There’s more to art than visual arts. Do you quilt or crochet? Those skills are artistic. Do you know how to use a forge? Have you made products in the forge? Again, this is art. Have you helped your kids and grandkids paint things on the driveway with chalk? That’s practicing art and teaching the next generations that…
Read MoreUsing art to build community
I sit on a volunteer board for Legacy Learning Boone River Valley in Webster City, Iowa. I was surprised at the number of local instructors in my community that are artists and teach workshops. Some examples of the local art these folks teach include: the Scandinavian thread work craft of Hardanger, Pine Needle Baskets, one of…
Read MoreTrail Art
What’s happening in Carlisle, Iowa? Lorin Ditzler from Warren County Hometown sent us this message. This is in Carlisle IA, where there is a well-used regional trail that ends about 1/3 of a mile from the downtown. We wanted to encourage trail users to continue past the end of the trail and visit our downtown!…
Read MoreArt in the Rural
Art projects, events and pieces are often the last thing towns think of when it comes to economic development.There is a bit of a tendency for people to think of art as something other people do. If they think of art in their community at all, they think of murals or art exhibits. Art is…
Read More