The City Artists built

Helping Artists Navigate Their Way Home

Creative Compass: From Rust Belt to Artist Belt

While some see the Rust Belt only for its smokestacks and abandonment, we see creativity, innovation, and new life.  In December 2008, CPAC released From Rust Belt to Artist Belt:  Challenges and Opportunities in Rust Belt Cites, a white paper on Artist-Based Community Development and the role artists can play in revitalization efforts.  Read about what role artists are playing in formerly industrial cities and why, and hear from people that are creating a new vision for industrial America.

For an overview of the white paper, view the Executive Summary.

For access to the full report, see From Rust Belt to Artist Belt: Challenges and Opportunities in Rust Belt Cities.

From Rust Belt to Artist Belt

May, 2008 Summit

On Wednesday, May 14, 2008 CPAC hosted "From Rust Belt to Artist Belt" a convening of community development professionals working in “Rust Belt” cities.  A national group of presenters and participants discussed the unique challenges and opportunities that such communities face in conducting artist-based community development (ABCD).

Summit Materials & Media Files

From Rust Belt to Artist Belt summit materials & media files can be downloaded below.  If you have difficulty accessing these files, please contact us at 216-575-0331 x128.

• Summit Agenda
• Speaker Biographies
• Stories from the Rust Belt
• Summit Audio Files  (These files are available through the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Events & Media webpage.  Scroll down to "From Rust Belt to Artist Belt" and click   Listen Now.)

Media Coverage

Read and listen to the media coverage on "From Rust Belt to Artist Belt".

• Artists vs. Blight; The Wall Street Journal - 4/17/09
• Ask not what artists can do for you; The Free Times - 5/21/08
• Artists play key role in urban development; The Plain Dealer - 5/16/2008
• Unnatural Resources; The Free Times - 5/7/08
• Around Noon; WCPN/Ideastream - 5/6/08
• Arts, culture advocacy group sees potential in region's blight; Crain's - 5/5/2008
• Conference to explore how to capitalize on arts districts; The Plain Dealer - 3/2/2008

Brought to you with generous support from:

Charter One Bank, Dominion, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Key Bank, Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), & Ohio Arts Council (OAC).

Additional support from:

The Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, The George Gund Foundation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, The Kulas Foundation and The Thomas H. White Foundation.