Posted on October 28, 2005

Arts and Culture

Economic and demographic shifts since the mid-1970s have contributed to declines in access to employment, educational opportunities, and quality health care in rural Minnesota. According to Bright Stars: Charting the Impact of the Arts in Rural Minnesota (81 pages, PDF), a new report from the McKnight Foundation, some small towns and communities have met the economic challenge of sustaining the vitality of their communities by focusing on the arts. Among other things, the report examines how the arts have helped redefine, strengthen, and stabilize the economy of eight towns; highlights the impact arts leadership can have on building relationships and cohesion; and illustrates the influence various artists and arts organizations have had in reshaping their communities.