A strong rural arts project should be collaborative. Collaborative projects accommodate diverse needs and agendas, develop non-school project advocates, are sustained by and rely on several sources, and strengthen communities. Because local artists are accessible, have a special commitment to improving education in their communities, and…

This book describes the process and results of a 5 year arts initiative, Artists in Minnesota Schools and Communities (AMSC). Based on the premise that rural communities hold an undervalued wealth of artistic and cultural resources rarely tapped by schools, the project piloted a variety of models for integrating art in the educational experiences…