Published June 29, 2017
John W. Sutherlin is executive director of the Research Corporation of
Louisiana. He recently presented in Paducah, Ky., at a program sponsored
by the Delta Regional Authority on the importance of art and culture to
the growth and strength of communities.
Emerald McIntyre/ULM Photo Services
John W. Sutherlin, executive director of the Research Corporation of Louisiana, recently
participated in a workshop where federal and state funding for creative placemaking
projects was discussed. The event was part of a six-city program sponsored by the
Delta Regional Authority.
The event was part of a six-city program sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority.
According to Sutherlin, “DRA and many other agencies have recognized that arts and
culture are what draw people to live in communities. It is the fabric of our social
being.”
The workshop included representatives from the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtPlace
America, and Springboard for the Arts. Chuck Fluharty, CEO of the Rural Policy Research
Institute, served as coordinator and discussant for the two-day workshop held in Paducah,
Ky.
Some of the issues discussed included linking arts and culture to infrastructure projects
and job creation.
Sutherlin presented on the linkage between Brownfields redevelopment and cultural
economies.
Sutherlin noted, “To fund arts and culture is an investment in community and economic
development.”
Future workshops will be held in Vicksburg, Miss., and Arnaudville. Any community
interested in developing their arts and cultural resources are invited to attend one
of the workshops.
For more information about this program, see the DRA website at http://dra.gov/initiatives/promoting-tourism-cultural-economy/creative-placemaking-initiative/.
The RCL is an independent entity supporting ULM’s research.
John W. Sutherlin, center, executive director of the
Research Corporation of Louisiana, presented in Paducah, Ky.,
at a program sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority on
the importance of art and culture to the growth and strength
of communities.
What is creative placemaking?
The National Endowment for the Arts defines it this way: “In creative placemaking,
partners from public, private, non-profit, and community sectors strategically shape
the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region around
arts and cultural activities. Creative placemaking animates public and private spaces,
rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public
safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.
