Participation Type
Poster
Presentation #1 Title
The Impact of Nonprofit Music Education Programming in Rural Appalachia: How Stuart’s Opera House Uses Arts Education to Create a Resilient Community
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This study is being conducted to understand how nonprofit arts programming can impact the resiliency of rural Appalachian communities. A case study of Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio will be conducted to detail how their educational and community outreach programs benefit its community’s residents and participants. With limited research conducted about the impacts of arts programming in rural Appalachia (McGrath and Brennan 2011), this study will inform community leaders, artists, and nonprofit organizations the impact they can create in their community using the arts.
The case study method will be used to analyze Stuart’s Opera House’s arts programming in Southeast Ohio (Yin 2003). Focus groups will be conducted with participants of the arts education programs, and interviews will be conducted with the coordinators of the programs as well as the director of Education and Community Outreach. After transcribing the interviews, data will be analyzed and coded for patterns.
According to existing research, visual and performing arts highlight the rich history and culture of a region (Inwood 2008), has the ability to unite people together (Guard 1979), and can encourage community members to engage in social interaction and civic participation (McHenry 2011). With this in mind, this study hopes investigate the importance of accessibility and opportunity to the arts, self expression using the arts, and existing cultural and traditional arts in Appalachia.
Data is still being collected at this time. Research will be completed by the end of 2018, and will be ready to present by the conference.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Ami Scherson is a senior at Ohio University studying Music through the Honors Tutorial College. She is an alumni of the Diversity in the Arts Leadership Program (Americans for the Arts), an internship for minority students to learn how they can create an impact and increase cultural equity in the arts field. Ami hopes to use her research and artistic skills in a career in arts administration after graduation.
The Impact of Nonprofit Music Education Programming in Rural Appalachia: How Stuart’s Opera House Uses Arts Education to Create a Resilient Community
This study is being conducted to understand how nonprofit arts programming can impact the resiliency of rural Appalachian communities. A case study of Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio will be conducted to detail how their educational and community outreach programs benefit its community’s residents and participants. With limited research conducted about the impacts of arts programming in rural Appalachia (McGrath and Brennan 2011), this study will inform community leaders, artists, and nonprofit organizations the impact they can create in their community using the arts.
The case study method will be used to analyze Stuart’s Opera House’s arts programming in Southeast Ohio (Yin 2003). Focus groups will be conducted with participants of the arts education programs, and interviews will be conducted with the coordinators of the programs as well as the director of Education and Community Outreach. After transcribing the interviews, data will be analyzed and coded for patterns.
According to existing research, visual and performing arts highlight the rich history and culture of a region (Inwood 2008), has the ability to unite people together (Guard 1979), and can encourage community members to engage in social interaction and civic participation (McHenry 2011). With this in mind, this study hopes investigate the importance of accessibility and opportunity to the arts, self expression using the arts, and existing cultural and traditional arts in Appalachia.
Data is still being collected at this time. Research will be completed by the end of 2018, and will be ready to present by the conference.
