By Bahia Ramos-Synnott, Knight Foundation’s Director, Community Foundations

Last Monday I traveled to Bradenton, FL with Knight Foundation Program Director Meredith Hector and VP of Arts Dennis Scholl to hear Dennis give a talk on the arts as fuel for community engagement. Bradenton has recently gained notoriety as one of the top ten small places to visit in the US, and this has all been due to its investment in Realize Bradenton, an arts-focused community development vehicle that has leveraged Bradenton’s cultural assets to create a sense of place for residents and visitors alike.

The talk was oversubscribed — nearly 200 people packed in the room — and included people like the Mayor, local media, arts and business leaders, art students and educators and artists. Dennis talked to the crowd about innovative ways to invest in the arts to spur community engagement, which initiated some discussion among the crowd about models that may work for Bradenton. While it was nice to celebrate Bradenton’s current achievement, Dennis also challenged them to think innovatively about how to take their cultural assets to “the next level,” and divert from usual tactics to keep their arts flourishing.

The speech was followed by an intimate conversation with arts and business leaders that generated budding ideas for maintaining a thriving arts community. I’m excited to see what results from the continued conversation! In the meantime, here are some editorials and articles about the day…

“Realize Bradenton hosts Knight Foundation Program,” Bradenton.com

“A fresh challenge to build on cultural growth,” The Bradenton Herald