Arts & Community Development
Units: 6
"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." - Alice Walker
Arts and community development is a growing discipline of creative and civic practice that engages artists, arts organizations, creative practitioners, and community stakeholders as partners in supporting and enhancing the physical, economic, and social character of a “place”. Also known as creative community development or creative placemaking, place-based concerns and community interests can often be addressed by placing the arts at the center of community development work. For the purposes of this course, students will be introduced to the origins of arts and community development, best practices used in the field such as asset-based community development, and topics including: place identity and public art, cultural districts, the creative economy and creative workforce development, the impact of cultural events and cultural tourism, and how creative interventions can address civic concerns in other sectors such as housing and transportation. In addition, issues of gentrification, economic inequality, and racial equity will also be covered. In order to apply concepts introduced in the course, students will learn about local neighborhoods and will work in small groups to collaboratively and equitably design creative community development solutions.
Learning Objectives
1. Describe the origins and purposes of creative community development and utilize an asset-based community development approach (ABCD).
How Assessed: Participation in discussions, individual assignments, group project, and final reflection
2. Examine a local neighborhood and identify the types of physical, economic, social, and civic assets that exist there.
How Assessed: Individual assignments and group project
3. Understand some of the unintended harms of creative community development and propose ethical strategies to engage stakeholders in community planning, implementation, and evaluation.
How Assessed: Participation in discussions, group project, and final reflection
4. Co-create a vision, core strategies, and measurable community development outcomes that include the arts and creative solutions to improve a community’s physical, economic, social, and civic environment.
How Assessed: Participation in discussions and group project
No Pre-requisites Required.