Art, Community, and Policy: Building Cultural Bridges in the Pioneer Valley
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
In May 2024, Daniel Deutsch published a comprehensive cultural blueprint for the Pioneer Valley aimed at nurturing the arts ecosystem in Western Massachusetts. A recent graduate of the graduate-level Regional Planning program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Daniel’s When Artists Thrive, Communities Thrive: A Cultural Plan Blueprint for the Pioneer Valley concentrated on the ways that investment, space, community, policy, and capacity building address the long-term needs of artists and cultural organizations while bolstering economic development and tourism.
His research also seeks to support the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s (PVPC) initiatives to strengthen the creative sector across the region by connecting different cultural groups, focusing on culture in community planning, and reinforcing the link between arts, culture, and historical preservation. This report also provides insights for ArtsHub of Western Mass’ future projects.
After meeting with representatives from the PVPC to pitch his idea, Daniel used a mixed-methods research design to develop the blueprint. His methodology includes a survey, in-depth interviews, and case study analyses. Daniel conducted a survey targeting working artists aged eighteen and above residing in Hampshire or Hampden Counties to understand how they earn a living from their art and the extent of their dependence on it. Using his arts infrastructure framework, he gauged how artists value different support pillars and their needs at local and regional levels. Deutsch then interviewed three individuals who play a pivotal role as curators and organizers in fostering community cohesion and supporting individual artists' livelihoods. Two individuals opted to stay anonymous. The named respondent, Jim Olsen, is the founder of Signature Sounds Recording in Northampton.
Daniel asked the following four questions throughout the study:
What do each of the four “pillars” (investment, space, community, and policy) of arts infrastructure mean to you?
In what ways do you feel supported by your community – the one that you’ve built and the one that you work in?
How could your municipality or region provide more support?
What kinds of conversations do you have with the artists you work with?
PRECEDENT CASE STUDIES
Daniel based his analysis off of three detailed cultural planning documents: “Imagine Greater Louisville 2020,” “Bennington County Cultural Plan,” and “Essex County Cultural Planning Labs Summary.” These examples helped him understand different approaches to cultural planning across the United States, organized under themes of policy, investment, space, and community. This research sought to provide insights into effective cultural strategies that could benefit the Pioneer Valley.
RESULTS
From mid-December 2023 to early March 2024, Daniel surveyed university staff, local cultural councils, and others involved in various creative disciplines, including music, visual arts, theatre, literature, media arts and more.
Of the 97 respondents, 36% earned nothing from their creative practice, while 27% depended entirely upon it.
The top five funding sources were:
Education (43%)
State Funding (35%)
Direct Sales (28%)
Local/Municipal Funding and Ticket Sales (Both 26%)
Service Provided (22%)
Valley Creates (58%) and MASSMoCA’s Assets for Artists (50%) were the most used funding resources listed on ArtsHub’s website. Participants ranked policy, investment, space, and community building using a 1-5 Likert scale. Community building and space were seen as highly important, with respectively 89% and 82% of participants ranking them as moderate/high importance. Investment was ranked slightly lower at 76% and policy was ranked the lowest at 48%.
These results highlight the critical role of community for both artists and the success of curators and organizers. For artists, community involves sharing their talents, supporting each others’ work through purchases and event attendance, and fostering collaboration across disciplines. Curators and organizers, on the other hand, can facilitate connections and resources through the community, inspiring artists.
Space and Investment also emerge as important factors; the demand for live-work spaces is high across diverse locations, from urban centers like Boston to rural communities like Belchertown. Limited space availability drives local groups to seek partnerships to secure venues.
Regarding investment, funding tends to favor larger institutions over smaller organizations and individual artists. Shifting focus to support creative workers in a more equitable manner could foster a fairer funding environment. Policy ranks lower for artists, potentially due to bureaucratic language, slower processes, extensive advocacy and time commitments.
Based on artists’ responses, Daniel discovered that it is crucial for PVPC to support artists with opportunities and resources that help them grow and sustain their careers overtime, an effort known as “capacity building,” as well as funding and spaces to work.
One property owner highlighted the critical role of affordable space in fostering creative communities, describing it as the “‘rocket fuel’ of most creative movements.” They also emphasized how their building fostered synergy and community essential for a creative economy. Jim Olsen underscored the importance of investment in arts through sponsorships and grants, crucial for organizing large-scale events like music festivals, which serve as economic drivers and community builders.
Interviewees noted that artists both benefit from and contribute to the arts ecosystem and its supportive environment. Collecting local data is crucial for advocating for the arts, as it illustrates how the arts affect our local economy and quality of life and guides long-term planning. In the interviews, there was consensus of the importance of creating sustainable careers for artists through access to space, financial resources, and professional development opportunities.
CASE STUDY ANALYSES
The case study analyses linked survey and interview findings to practical cultural plans in cities geographically close to Hampshire and Hampden Counties.
Bennington County’s plan focuses on leveraging the region’s cultural heritage to position it as a vibrant destination while supporting local creatives and strengthening the creative economy. Julia Dixon, a consultant in Bennington’s Creative Economy and Cultural Planning, emphasizes integrating the arts with the tourism economy, workforce development, job creation, innovation, downtown revitalization, public health, environmental stewardship, and more. The plan focuses on enhancing creative vibrancy, building the cultural sector, fostering community engagement, and establishing critical partnerships across various sectors. It also includes a toolkit encouraging local creatives to develop creative clusters and collaborate, enhancing neighborhood vitality. Initiatives like county-wide open studios and communication platforms align with the community and capacity-building needs identified in the survey. Other key recommendations included business development programs for small creative enterprises and advocating for policies that support the economic impact of the arts. Their initiative to promote innovative art events in underused spaces demonstrates the connection that space has to community and the importance of both in cultural planning.
Essex County’s report diverges from traditional strategies, incorporating ideas straight out of a series of workshops aimed at educating about cultural planning benefits. Key ideas aligning with Daniel’s survey include hiring an art planner, involving artists in supporting local businesses, promoting arts across cities and towns, adopting a systemic approach to funding, and modifying zoning to support creative spaces.
Louisville’s plan shares similarities with Bennington County’s, while emphasizing specific strategies and actions. These include developing a business service support hub, providing professional development for artists, advocating for fair pay scales, engaging artists across community sectors, and promoting shared spaces. These initiatives highlight the importance of capacity building and space needs for artists.
From these analyses, Daniel identified key findings, including the scalability of capacity building across different regions or communities and the significance of arts leadership, exemplified by roles like a regional arts coordinator. The case studies confirmed his conclusion that while supporting individual artists’ needs is appropriate in hyper-local communities, we should scale support by addressing the needs of entire regional arts systems.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Following his research, Daniel offers six key recommendations for building regional cultural bridges:
Cultural Asset Mapping: Conducting surveys to map both tangible and intangible cultural assets, providing a baseline for future planning and investment.
Zoning Inventory: Assessing zoning regulations to identify opportunities for establishing creative workspaces and addressing community needs.
Interagency Collaboration: Strengthening partnerships with organizations like New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) and Mass Cultural Council, which are both part of Springboard for the Arts, to leverage resources and support cultural initiatives.
Innovative Investment: Introducing programs like community supported artwork and guaranteed income to sustain artists and foster community engagement.
Meaningful Public Engagement: Establishing a Cultural Plan Advisory Board and conducting focus groups to ensure diverse community input and support.
Programming Initiatives: Implementing strategic partnerships like artist residencies and participating in international events like Make Music Day to enhance cultural vibrancy.
You can read Daniel’s full report using the link below.
DANIEL DEUTSCH
Daniel Deutsch recently graduated with a Master of Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit communications with particular emphasis on arts and culture institutions and over 25 years participating in the performing arts, his research and professional interests sit at the crux of placemaking/placekeeping, arts and culture, community engagement, and economic development. Daniel resides in Washington, D.C.
