Small Community/Rural Resources

Rural creative economy, workforce and community examples, info, new resources.  Continually updated!

Conferences and meetings:

• Rural Placemaking at the Intersection of Arts, Agriculture, and Economic Development, hosted by USDA Rural Development and National Endowment for the Arts, with support from DAISA Enterprises, 3-3-21.  This virtual workshop offered robust idea exchange and connection across arts and agriculture.  Video recording here.  Access Passcode: Intersect5!
• Small Community Forum, 12-16-20, presented by Arts Wisconsin, UW-Madison/Extension Center for Economic and Community Development, USDA Rural Development Wisconsin, Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, Wisconsin Main Street Program, Wisconsin Rural Partners.  Theme:  community building and inclusivity.
  • Forum recording here  
  • Presenters
    • Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, presented by Dr. Eric Giordano (presentation here)
    • Community impact stories:
      • Bridge the Divide, based in Cedarburg, WI, Executive Director Erica Turner, is a forum for discussion and action around racial reconciliation, identifying instances of inequality, foster empathy and educate others.     
      • Darlington Cinco de Mayo Festival, presented by Kalee Crist, Board member, Cinco De Mayo festival board and ESL teacher with the Darlington School District, Darlington Cinco de Mayo: Uniting cultures with food, fun, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, 5-5-13

Readings and resources:

• Statewide service organizations

• Wisconsin Office of Rural Prosperity:  offers support to rural communities and residents, helps connect them to projects, people, organizations and resources, navigate state and federal resources and collaborate on pilot and traditional projects. We have access to two funding sources through WEDC, Targeted Industry Projects and Capacity Building Projects.

  • Rural Voices for Prosperity Report

  • Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity (link includes listening session videos)  The Governor’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity has released “Rural Voices for Prosperity: A Report of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Rural Prosperity,” which calls for coordinated measures across state government to meet the needs of Wisconsin’s rural communities. The report features 10 overarching recommendations that, taken together, would commit state government to a comprehensive approach to rural prosperity, create new partnerships with rural and tribal communities in the designing and delivering of state services, and invest more thoughtfully to address rural Wisconsin’s critical challenges and most promising opportunities.  Excerpts from the report on the importance of place, culture and the arts in Wisconsin
• USDA Rural Development
  • Rural Workforce Innovation Network (RWIN)
  • Resource Guide for Rural Workforce Development, June 2021

Additional

• Blog post:  Five Keys to Rural Resilience, by Kristen Fish-Peterson, Partner, Redevelopment Resources, Madison, WI, 7-8-21
  1. Focus on Business Retention.

  2. Foster a sense of community.

  3. Design a safety net.

  4. Create networking opportunities for existing businesses.

  5. Identify one business champion.
• Why art is smart for the agriculture business and recruiting efforts, Ag Journal, 4-7-21
• Rural Prosperity through the Arts  and Cultural Sector, from the National Governor’s Association, January 2019.  An action guide offering research insights and lessons learned from states that are harnessing the power of the arts to drive rural prosperity
• After generations of disinvestment, rural America might be the most innovative place in the U.S., from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 12-14-20
• Problem Solving through Arts and Cultural Strategies:  Creative Placemaking Guidance for Local Governments, from ArtPlace America and other partners

Models and initiatives (an evolving list)

• Arts/Industry Program, Kohler Co. , Kohler, and John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, offering artists the time and space to focus on the creation of new work and a unique location for their studios
• Creative placemaking initiatives, models, and ideas

Contact Anne Katz at Arts Wisconsin, info@artswisconsin.org, with questions, comments, and ideas.

Updated 11-7-21