Jul 9, 2018 @1:30 PM Central

How can anchor arts institutions in low income communities make maximum cultural, social and economic impact? Looking at three locations and organizations - New Jersey Performing Arts Center (Newark, NJ), AS220 (Providence, RI) and MASS MoCA (North Adams, MA) – former BAM president Karen Brooks Hopkins and Steven Wolff of AMS Planning & Research, will explore the significant roles and relationships cultural facilities have in the communities that surround them.
*****
Former BAM President and current National Center for Arts Research (NCAR) Nasher Haemisegger Fellow, Karen Brooks Hopkins, recently completed a 2-year fellowship at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Her project focused on research devoted to answering the question, How can anchor institutions in low income communities and communities in transition make maximum cultural, social and economic impact? Karen’s interest is based on her 36 years at BAM, a period when Brooklyn and BAM transitioned from problem to prosperity. The success of the borough, nearby organizations, and BAM were deeply intertwined. Now, new problems have emerged with Brooklyn’s gentrification. Steven Wolff, principal of AMS Planning & Research, joined Hopkins’ team as thought leader and research partner, and Princeton Professor/Urbanist, Bruno Carvalho, shared his studies of conditions in the site communities. NCAR provided baseline demographic material for the study.

The team focused on questions such as: How can anchors engage in meaningful, equal partnerships that add value while delivering high level artistic experiences? Can culturals be more influential in the conversation alongside hospitals and universities regarding the anchor role in revitalization? Can we move the discussion beyond economic impact to community impact? How can the field evolve from the model of arts center to arts district to organically connected partner network?

Watch the recording here!