Not Just Murals

Insights into Artists’ Leadership in Community Development

Anne Gadwa, Rachel Engh, and Christopher Walker

The report examines the nurturing of artists to be leaders, the challenges and opportunities they face, and profiles the work of many artists across the country.

Not Just Murals draws upon a literature review, interviews with 15 artists leading in different facets of community development, and conversations with experts who have unique insights into regional and national context and trends. The interviews and examples draw heavily from two locales in the LISC network that are exceptionally fertile ground for artists taking up the mantle of leadership in community development, Minnesota’s Twin Cities and Philadelphia, as well as several projects and artists in the South that have received support from Alternate ROOTS, a regional arts service organization that provides artist leaders with training and resources at the intersection of arts and social justice.

Source: Metris webpage