Art in Other Places: Artists at Work in America’s Community and Social Institutions

During the past 15 years, artists have established a remarkable record of innovation and success in institutional settings. Their work with hospital patients, prisoners, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill, and others has shown that the arts can have a significant positive impact on the lives of these people. This book recounts the histories of 22 institutional and community arts programs across the country pioneering this approach through activities such as creative writing and the performing and visual arts.

Consisting largely of first-hand accounts, the book demonstrates how the creative processes have been used to address and solve some of society’s most pressing problems. Included are case studies, research, and descriptions of the wide variety of artistic, educational, and therapeutic approaches utilized by each of the 22 programs. Also described are many of the financial and political strategies used to build and sustain support for these unlikely endeavors. This work will provide valuable insights for artists, educators, social service providers, and community leaders.

WILLIAM CLEVELAND is director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community near Sacramento. Prior to that he headed the California State Summer School for the Arts located at the California Institute for the Arts and Mills College. From 1981 to 1989, as director of California’s Arts-in-Corrections program, he developed one of the largest and most successful multi-disciplinary residency arts programs in the country. During the late 1970s, Mr. Cleveland coordinated the much acclaimed Artsreach Community Artist Program for the city of Sacramento.