Rural and Community Art Project

Our goal is to create engaging public events that celebrate local artists and strengthen the arts community. We aim to present high quality arts experiences and hope to achieve positive engagement from both the musicians themselves and the audiences attending events. A related goal is to offer arts experiences that are accessible to everyone in the community. The First Friday Art Walk is always free and open to the public, and this concert series will add a free live performance to each of the summer events. The long term goal is to build community by creating more opportunities for people to experience art together. Artistic success is defined as engaging artists who are known for quality work and who reach a broad audience. Since the event is free, open to the public, and in the heart of the downtown it may be the first experience for someone hearing a particular artist or group. It may be the first live performance for a child, for someone who has been intimidated by arts events or for someone with limited finances. Success will be achieved if the musicians are satisfied and the audience is engaged. We will measure our progress toward our goal by tracking attendance at the events, and conducting follow up surveys with the participating musicians. We'll also have Grand Rapids Arts board members volunteer at each event to collect audience feedback through short, simple surveys, one-on-one conversations, and other evaluation methods devised for an informal outdoor setting. We will reflect as an organization on the project's impact on our long-range goals.