Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Session 8.10 Arts
Session Abstract or Summary
How can community-based art help Appalachian communities build a sustainable future?
This panel will discuss a long-term collaboration between Appalachian State University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and the communities surrounding the Elk Knob State Park in western North Carolina. Students will present their work creating public art projects that facilitate local conversations about building a healthy community.
Since 2005 Appalachian State University has shared a partnership with The Elk Knob Community Heritage Organization and other local groups to support efforts to preserve the unique, natural and cultural heritage of the area. Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the plan facilitates independent community development work based on more than a decade of research by Appalachian State University students. During 2014, students updated a public art plan that identifies projects and resources to promote local heritage and encourage area tourism in the communities of Meat Camp, Pottertown, and Sutherland, North Carolina.
Panelists will discuss their experience in this participatory planning process, present documentation of their work, and ask the audience for examples of other rural communities where art supports local sustainability efforts.
Presentation #1 Title
The Elk Knob Art and Planning Project
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This is a single integrated panel presentation. Instead of three separate presentations, all three presenters will take turns discussing this collaborative project and engaging the audience in discussion. Questions we will ask include: What does a healthy Appalachian community look like? How do we include diverse voices (many musics) in community based art and planning projects? How can rural Appalachian communities proactivley respond to rapid change? These questions will help engage the audience in a productive discussion about supporting local efforts to sustain Appalachian communities.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Tom Hansell is an installation artist and documentary filmmaker who teaches at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. His sculptures and installations have appeared in galleries from California to Vermont, and his documentary films have screened on public television and at international film festivals. Hansell is the recipient of grants and fellowships from the Kentucky Arts Council, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Cheryl Laws is a graduate student at Appalachian State University obtaining her Masters of Arts in Appalachian Studies with an emphasis on Appalachian Sustainability. She received her Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Minor in Sociology from West Virginia State University in May 2014. Her research interests include understanding how arts and culture can help create healthy and sustainable communities.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Kenny Logsdon is a senior at Appalachian State University, majoring in Anthropology. His research interests include sustainable agriculture, media culture, and rural communities. He participated in this project as part of an Honors Junior Seminar in Community-Based Arts.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4
Brittany Means is a graduate student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.
The Elk Knob Art and Planning Project
This is a single integrated panel presentation. Instead of three separate presentations, all three presenters will take turns discussing this collaborative project and engaging the audience in discussion. Questions we will ask include: What does a healthy Appalachian community look like? How do we include diverse voices (many musics) in community based art and planning projects? How can rural Appalachian communities proactivley respond to rapid change? These questions will help engage the audience in a productive discussion about supporting local efforts to sustain Appalachian communities.
