New Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development

by Arlene Goldbard

An inspiring, foundational book that defines the burgeoning field of community cultural development.

An inspiring, foundational book that defines the burgeoning field of community cultural development. Through personal stories, rousing accounts, detailed observation and histories, Arlene Goldbard describes how communities express and develop themselves via the creative arts. This comprehensive, photographically-illustrated book, which covers community-based arts such as theater grounded in oral history and murals celebrating cultural heritage, will appeal to the curious non-specialist reader as well as the practitioner and student.

Author Arlene Goldbard is one of the best-known authors on community cultural development. Her seminal books and essays are widely read in the US and other English-speaking countries -- among them, Community, Culture and Globalization and this book's antecedent, Creative Community .

Genres: Art

268 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jessmccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I'd never heard of community cultural development. Now I'm completely inspired. I wish I could include a few quoted lines here but I've already returned the book to the friend I borrowed in from. Basically, this book is about using art in community settings to bring people together with the goal of building relationships and skills to solve community problems.

I'm so excited about this idea! Bringing non-artists together to talk about how to express their ideas through visual art, dance, theater, digital media...wow. And I'm also very interested in using art to form community and address social issues. This is the sort of thing I've been looking for, I think. A lot of the ideas that have been percolating in the back of my mind for the past few years are now coming together.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in how art, community, and social change can intersect. Goldbard lays out a comprehensive view of community cultural development, including history, guiding principles, exemplary projects, international scope, funding, and future dreams. For me it was a bit of a slow read, parts of it are rather dense and text-bookish, but overall it was very informative and inspiring.

Now I just have to figure out how to get involved in some community art projects....look out world!

[Michael Dobbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

great little history of the arts and other creative approaches to community change and development along with other research in this field

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

good overview, history and explanation of community arts, aimed at general population rather than academic

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read. Chock-full of creative place-making examples, info, definitions, and inspiration.