Community Building Potential of the Arts

Organized by Janis Foster, executive director, Neighborhood Small Grants Network, Presented by Janis Foster; Che Madyun, small grants consultant, Mabel Louise Riley Foundation; and Joel Ratner, program officer, The Cleveland Foundation

This session explored the community building potential of the arts by taping into the experience of grantmakers who are working to strengthen grassroots neighborhood groups to more effectively address their priorities and strengthen the social fabric of their neighborhoods. The conversation will shared information on:

  • The variety of ways that grassroots groups are turning to art as a vehicle for building community in their neighborhoods;
  • What distinguishes a good project from a great project that goes beyond a dance performance or a mural to build momentum for change at the neighborhood level;
  • How grantmakers who are interested in supporting community-based arts can identify and connect with promising groups and projects by employing lessons learned from experienced grassroots grantmakers to shorten their learning curve and maximize the effectiveness of their efforts.

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