The story below is from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Roanoke’s artists and arts and cultural organizations are bringing performances, workshops and more directly into neighborhoods through the new Arts Connect Neighbors project.
Courtesy of Shaleen Powell
Roanoke Arts Commission Chair Meighan Sharp engages young people in questions about their connections through the arts.
On the heels of a year filled with learning, creating and reflecting on how the arts better the city as a whole, members of Roanoke’s arts and cultural scene are ready to do more, this time by bringing their talents into neighborhoods.
“In what we called the ‘Year of the Artist,’ we had about 450 artists tell us they were interested in doing more for the community,” says Doug Jackson, arts and culture coordinator for the City of Roanoke. “As a next step, we want to demonstrate all the ways the arts can make our neighborhoods
Courtesy of Doug Jackson
The Arts Connect Neighbors effort is intended to bring neighbors together in fun and meaningful ways. In February, interested artists met for a daylong group facilitation training.
better.”
To accomplish this, 50 artists and arts organizations will be paid to develop programming that will be added to a catalog. Following its completion this winter, neighbors will be able to select an activity from the listings and the corresponding artist or organization will go into the neighborhood and carry out the event.
This project is made possible through a $75,000 award from the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Roanoke who matched this funding, bringing the total allotment for Arts Connect Neighbors up to $150,000.
With life resuming for many following the pandemic, the timing for a project like this – one that’s meant to help members of the community get to know and have fun with one another – is spot on.
“The human focus and unlimited possibilities of this project are the most exciting to me,” says Shaleen Powell, Executive Director of the Roanoke Cultural Endowment. “Each neighborhood is unique; each artist and cultural organization is unique. Put them together and there are exponential opportunities to improve our lives and strengthen our ties.”
This strategy isn’t one that Jackson and Powell have ever seen before, but they say there’s so much beauty in developing something like this specifically for a city that houses so much potential. “We’re creating a unique tool for our particular place. We had never seen a ‘Year of the Artist’ either, but that’s the strength of a small city. We can do things here – create the right tool for the right time and place – and find support for doing it,” explains Jackson.
Cloud Bobby Photography
At 5 Points Music Sanctuary, conversation of economic development and the arts turned to the role of the arts in strong neighborhoods.
“And we are fortunate to have the creativity, talent and artistic diversity to create such a tool right here in Roanoke,” adds Powell. “There is a strong concentration of creative superpowers and arts and cultural amenities for a city our size!”
To stay up to date on how the Arts Connect Neighbors project is progressing, follow the Art in Roanoke and Roanoke Cultural Endowment social media pages.
The story above is from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!