Rural places get federal arts grants for design workshops to help improve quality of life

Organizations in rural communities in Kentucky, Florida, Texas and New York were chosen by the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design to host design workshops. "Workshops bring together local leaders, non-profits, community organizations, and citizens with a team of specialists in design, planning, and creative place-making to address design challenges identified by the community," states a release from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Winners were chosen from 30 applicants. Organizations receive "$7,000 to support the workshop, in-kind design expertise and technical assistance valued at $35,000, and additional training through webinars, conference calls, and web-based resources," according to the release. Workshops dates have yet to be announced.

The Central Appalachia Institute for Research and Development, Inc., based in Pikeville, Ky., "will integrate arts and culture into existing community plans, raising awareness about the potential of artisans and craft industries to serve as an economic engine" for Appalachian Kentucky, according to the release.

Two workshops will focus on the role design can play in revitalizing declining downtowns. The Rochester Regional Community Design Center "will focus on physical improvements and economic development strategies" in Lima, N.Y., and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Suwannee County Extension will focus on redevelopment and rebuilding after a natural disaster, focusing on recent flooding in Live Oak, Fla.

The City of Seguin, Tex., will host a workshop "centered around the design and public health benefits of a new waterfront trail for a low-income community suffering from high rates of obesity and limited options for walking, biking, or transit."