July 12, 2024

Culture

What do historic arts enclaves like Provincetown, Key West, and Taos, and our culture at large, lose when they fail to invest in artists and writers?

Provincetown Roofs, Blanche Lazzell, 1935-1943 (date inferred). United States Works Progress Administration.

Provincetown Roofs, Blanche Lazzell, 1935-1943 (date inferred). United States Works Progress Administration.

Provincetown Roofs, Blanche Lazzell, 1935-1943 (date inferred). United States Works Progress Administration.

“'Bohemia has always been 90% low rent, 10% dream,' wrote Brad Gooch in a prescient 1992 New York Magazine cover story about the budding arts community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This is both its promise and its danger. By investing in emerging artists and writers through locally-led, sustainable programs like residencies, guaranteed income, and affordable housing initiatives, small towns like Provincetown can once again nurture creativity, cultivate a rich cultural tapestry, and ensure the sustainability of their artistic communities. The rewards of such investments are immense, not only for the individual creatives but for the towns themselves, which become vibrant, diverse, and economically resilient hubs of culture and innovation." - Sharon Polli

ARTICLE: How Can a Small Bohemian Town Help Artists Stay Afloat?

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