Arts and Community Change : Exploring Cultural Development Policies, Practices and Dilemmas

Arts and Community Change: Exploring Cultural Development Policies, Practices and Dilemmas addresses the growing number of communities adopting arts and culture-based development methods to influence social change. Providing community workers and planners with strategies to develop arts policy that enriches communities and their residents, this collection critically examines the central tensions and complexities in arts policy, paying attention to issues of gentrification and stratification.

Including a variety of case studies from across the United States and Canada, these success stories and best practice approaches across many media present strategies to design appropriate policy for unique populations.

Edited by Max Stephenson, Jr. and A. Scott Tate of Virginia Tech, Arts and Community Change presents 10 chapters from artistic and community leaders; essential reading for students and practitioners in economic development and arts management.

Max Stephenson, Jr. is Professor of Public and International Affairs, School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech, USA, and Director of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance. His current research and teaching interests include the arts and community change processes, nongovernmental organizations and international development and peacebuilding.

A. Scott Tate is an educator and community development practitioner. He currently serves as a senior economic development specialist in the Office of Economic Development at Virginia Tech, USA. His community work includes directing or co-directing the Engaging Communities and Campuses national demonstration project and the Virginia Entrepreneur Express Workshop Series.