Inside Philanthropy’s Post

We are so honored and excited to officially announce our Round 2 projects! In order of appearance: 1. Green Pastures - In cooperation with local stakeholders, preservation groups, and Douthat State Park, the project will introduce an interpretive trail and a staged reading to showcase the rich heritage and stories associated with Green Pastures. This recreational area holds significant cultural importance as a recreational haven for African Americans during an era of segregation. 2. 23/54 - In 1947, 23 Black parents and 54 children challenged racial discrimination in the court case Corbin v. County School Board of Pulaski County, Virginia. Inspired by this story, the Calfee Community and Cultural Center (CCCC) aims to research and tell the stories of brave Black parents in Southwest Virginia, their ancestors and descendants through oral history interviews, archival research, a traveling exhibit, and a community-created quilt. 3. Yesáh Community House - The Monacan Nation Cultural Foundation will be building a modern-day long house that will serve as a physical monument of the Monacan people in Virginia. It will be constructed on the Monacan pow wow grounds in Monroe, VA and will become the permanent home of this annual event. 4. Labor in Motion - The Town of Pound, VA and Appalachian Voices will be partnering in creating an amphitheater and decorative retaining wall. The amphitheater will be transformed into the town's first performance venue for town events and storytelling events chosen by town residents. (See rendering of the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) above. Neither rendering nor location have been finalized.) 5. Raising the Shade - More than 180,000 African American soldiers made significant contributions in the American Civil War, however, only a handful of monuments to these men exist. The Franklin County NAACP aims to share these stories and more at various community events over the next year, as well as dedicating a monument to these soldiers. To learn more about Round 1 & 2 projects, please visit moremountainstories.org Mellon Foundation Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Monument Lab #moremountainstories

The Transformative Power of Art in Community Building In the past week, I've witnessed two profoundly different examples of how art can impact and strengthen communities. The first occurred during our subdivision's community garage sale. As an artist, I offered to host a sidewalk chalk event, something I've done many times before in communities. Donning my alter ego, Professor Bubbles (complete with a bubble-painted lab coat), I set up along a pathway with bubble machines and boxes of chalk. Surprisingly, this event drew more adults than children. Neighbors who typically remain isolated in their homes came out, picked up chalk, and began to interact. Even a door-to-door pest control salesman joined in, spending an hour simply enjoying the camaraderie without once mentioning his services. It was a beautiful reminder of how art can break down barriers and foster connections. The second example took place in Dayton, Ohio, where I witnessed the creation of a large sidewalk mosaic memorializing a tragic mass shooting from several years ago. My friend Jes McMillan of the Mosaic Institute of Dayton shared that over the past six months, more than 5,000 community members contributed to laying out the tiles during open studio events. In recent days, dozens more have helped with completion and grouting. This project exemplifies how art can facilitate healing and unity in the wake of tragedy. The overwhelming community support and participation in creating this memorial underscore the power of public art to bring people together and provide a tangible symbol of collective resilience. From simple chalk drawings that help neighbors connect, to complex mosaics that unite thousands in a shared purpose, community art builds engagement and strengthens social bonds. It provides a platform for expression, healing, and connection that transcends words. I'm eager to hear your experiences with community art. Please share your stories in the comments or email me at timothywellsarts@gmail.com. Let's continue to explore and celebrate the transformative power of art in our communities. #CommunityArt #PublicArt #ArtHeals #CommunityBuilding #CreativeEngagement

We proudly announce the launch of Midwest Memory, an initiative to fund new monuments that celebrate and preserve diverse stories and prioritize the inclusion of voices and experiences of BIPOC communities and support rural BIPOC and other practitioners in the rural Midwest: bit.ly/MidwestMemory Applications are due by 11:59pm CDT, October 1, 2024. • Eight communities will be selected. These communities must have an existing monument or memorial project or challenge for which they need additional support to take their project to the next level. Midwest Memory will grant $100,000 to each of the selected communities, plus an additional $10,000 in funding for cultural advisors. • In addition to funding for production of new monuments, grantees will receive training and support, technical assistance, and connections with other grantees. • This opportunity intends to build cross-sector collaboration in these communities to help enrich these projects. These projects will prioritize public memory through research and storytelling, addressing systemic inequities and advancing racial justice and Indigenous visibility. "While attention around new monuments and memorials is often focused in major cities, rural artists and community leaders are speaking up and telling a more complete and accurate representation of the diverse and complex past and present of the often-forgotten Midwest," shares Theresa Sweetland, our Executive Director. "We also know that engaging complex histories of place in the Midwest may require new tools, more robust technical assistance, and the wider support of a community of practitioners. This is why we launched Midwest Memory, to provide resources, community, and technical support to small towns and rural communities that want to tell those complex stories, and uplift histories that have been silenced." Interested? Gather your team and join us for an info session on Thursday, September 5 from 5:00 - 6:00pm CDT. Register: bit.ly/MidMemInfo The session will be recorded and posted to our website. Midwest Memory is a Forecast Public Art initiative, in partnership with Justice + Joy and The Outside, with generous support from the Mellon Foundation.

Exploring the Influence of Public Art in Urban Environments. As urban landscapes undergo constant transformation, the significance of cultivating dynamic and captivating public areas becomes more pronounced. An often underestimated platform for creative expression lies within the unassuming fence, presenting an opportunity to ignite community involvement and imagination, especially when concealing mundane structures like transformers. #PublicArt #UrbanRenewal #CommunityEngagement #CityscapeTransformation #streetartrevolution #FenceArt

New mapping layer available - UK #Heritage • About 400,OO0 Grade Listed Buildings and scheduled monument. • Listed Parks and Gardens • World Heritage Sites - Quick quiz : Including one whole city and one 72 miles long, can you name both? City Science, RCKa #maps

📢🚨DHR has launched a special grant program to prepare historic landmarks and history museums in Virginia for visitors in 2026, which will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence! DHR will administer the $20,000,000 state funds for historic preservation projects across the Commonwealth. "The Virginia 250 Preservation Fund is critical to ensuring that Virginia is prepared to host millions of Americans for the semiquincentennial celebration of our glorious history. As home to Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Patrick Henry and the Battle of Hampton to the Siege of Yorktown, Virginia was at the forefront of our history. Bolstering our historic sites and museums will not only encourage and aid tourism, it is our responsibility as stewards of American history,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a press release today. Read the rest of the announcement: https://lnkd.in/eNUi5e8j The preapplication for the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund program closes August 30. Projects need not be limited to properties related to the American Revolution to apply. DHR invites all historic sites or museums that meet the requirements to apply. History museums in non-historic buildings are also eligible for funding, but priority will be given to projects featuring properties listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and/or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), properties designated as a National Historic Landmark (NHL), or properties determined eligible for any such listing by the Department. For more information and updates regarding the program, or to fill out a preapplication, visit here: https://lnkd.in/eCJ5CyVK Image credit: Library of Congress. #stategovernment #historicpreservation #historicpreservationmatters #history #Virginia #Virginiahistory #VADHR #VA250 #America250 #america250va #americanrevolution #revolutionarywar

Please join MAS on Tuesday, May 21 for a lunchtime virtual talk as part of our Enduring Culture Initiative, with Kamau Ware, Shelley Worrell, Jiefei Yuan, Delma Palma, Pete Nice, and Amanda Boston, Ph.D. With New York City in a constant state of change, how can the field of preservation be expanded to be a more multivocal, equitable, accessible, and inclusive framework for supporting diverse layers of history and culture in our city? What implications could such a shift have on our urban policy?  Historic preservation has traditionally been practiced with strict rules for maintaining material integrity tied to a specific place and time, most often through a singular perspective. However, a sense of place involves a larger set of narratives and layered histories. As our built environment shifts to adapt to our climate crisis, address our housing crisis, and deconstruct the legacy of racist planning and marginalizing policy, how can the field of preservation evolve to do more than one thing for more than one purpose? How can preservation practiced in non-traditional forms provide the opportunity for our urban fabric to be flexible, adaptable, and reflect layers of history to support multiple communities over time? 

Very insightful article about the importance of cross-generational team work. It’s up to all of us, youth and elder, to work together towards change. Instead of putting issues against each other. Give it a read😊

A THRIVING ARTS COMMUNITY BRINGS UNDENIABLE BENEFITS TO TROUP COUNTY BY IDA DURAND | ARTWORK BY ANNIE GREENE A vibrant arts community offers numerous benefits to LaGrange. The arts represent a fundamental aspect of human expression, reflecting the sophistication of a society, Investing in the arts and cultural scene not only enhances the city's reputation but also boosts business activities, tourism, and overall resident satisfaction levels. By championing our local artists, we play a pivotal role in bolstering the economy and supporting the creative talents that enrich our community, dynamic arts environment attracts newcomers and catalyzes the growth of new galleries, theaters, and dining establishments, thereby elevating the city's status and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. Through strategic investments in the arts, we can transform LaGrange into a more appealing place to live for all its inhabitants. Nurturing a thriving arts community also fosters stronger communal bonds, promotes civic involvement, and contributes to lower poverty rates. Creating a supportive atmosphere for the arts provides a platform for local artists to flourish, contributing to a vibrant arts sector that benefits both creators and art enthusiasts. during times of financial constraints, the arts often bear the brunt of budget cuts. Neglecting to support the arts can hamper their potential growth when resources are scarce. This underscores the importance of prioritizing and investing in the arts, even amid challenges. By uniting as a community to back the arts, we ensure that local artists have a stage to showcase their skills, residents have access to top-tier art, and our community continues to thrive through a flourishing arts environment. Let us collectively contribute to making LaGrange a renowned hub for the arts. Highland Living Magazine is currently seeking sponsors who are passionate about supporting the arts and promoting local talent. By partnering with us, sponsors will not only have the opportunity to align their brand with a respected publication but also to demonstrate their commitment to our vibrant artistic community. For more information about becoming a sponsor, please contact Ida Solomon Durand, Publisher Highland Living Magazine 706.523.1497 idurand@bestversionmedia.com #lagrange #troupcounty #Lagrangega #Highlandliving #bestversionmedia #localart #communitybuilding

At the time of writing the article titled "Public Space in Cape Town - It's not about Design" there was much fanfare about a number of vanity projects such as Little Island in New York. It seemed inconceivable that millions of dollars were going to be spent on something that could only be viewed as a (landscape) folly. When I visited New York last October, my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw that they had actually built it. Walking around the spaces, I had to dial back on initial incredulousness - it's exquisitely designed and built. But it is still a folly. A bit like the frothy stuff celebrity chefs ooze out onto an art-full (but still very empty) plate. Projects like Little Island contribute towards a narrative that design is the be-all and end-all and that if only we had better designs, we would have better cities and public realms. This narrative is picked up and amplified by 'interested' parties, ignorant of design and the actual issues at play, but who nevertheless have the ear of influence. And Instagram accounts. Regrettably, this emphasis misdirects resources away from solving the gritty issues that could truly unlock the latent magic of the public realm. My contribution to The Journal of Public Space: Special Issue; Public Space and Placemaking in African Cities (https://lnkd.in/dHqYdNbU) draws on experience garnered through the City of Cape Town Open Space Working Group and unpacks the challenges of delivering open spaces in Cape Town. Mine is one of 24 papers and 3 editorials that make up this exceptional record for Africa cities, have a read! https://lnkd.in/d8CuiuxB Big shout out to Ayanda Roji and Luisa Bravo for pulling this edition together. #publicspace #design #landscapearchitecture #resilientcities #Africancities