JUST WHAT IS FC CREATES?
FC Creates is an initiative at Foundation Communities to coordinate the use of arts and cultural strategies to support the larger goals of the organization and support, clients, residents, and staff.
Beginning in 2018, a small team has worked to develop the initiative. The team engaged with residents, clients, staff, and community organizations, researched national best practices, and implemented pilot projects.
FC Creates uses creative community development (CCD) practices. Creative community development – or as it’s sometimes known, creative placemaking – is the practice of using arts and cultural strategies and activities in community development work. These practices could look like physical artworks, such as a mural. Or they could look like processes, activities, and programming, such as a crafting workshop or cooking class.
FC Creates harnesses the power of arts and culture to support FC residents, clients, and staff. The program is flexible and nimble, and support the larger organization in a variety of areas, including programs, development, and organizational growth, to achieve many goals, such as growing resident self-efficacy, equitable organizational storytelling, public health communications, and many, many more.
ART IS THE TOOL, NOT THE GOAL
The purpose of creative community development at Foundation Communities is to build community for residents, clients, and staff. Art and culture are just the way to build to the larger goals of supporting community through building relationships and networks; supporting organizational growth; contributing to physical and mental health; supporting pride and ownership of place; encouraging strong communications; supporting economic opportunity; and cultivating joy.
FC Creates is not “art for art’s sake.” It is using culture and art as tools to support the larger goals of community building throughout the entire Foundation Communities organization.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH FC CREATES
FC Creates is a small, scrappy initiative. That means that we need your help to leverage arts and cultural practices to support Foundation Communities!
Do you have an idea for a great project?
Are you a resident or staff member who is a secret or not-so-secret artist yourself?
Are you a community artist who wants to share your talents and contribute to your community?
Are you passionate about the arts and how they can support Foundation Communities?
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Together, we can bring this work to life within the organization to build community, and help everyone at Foundation Communities thrive.
