January, 2000, Baltimore, MD - A new millennial initiative, Artists & Communities: America Creates for the Millennium, is now giving communities and their residents across America the opportunity to think, act and address their concerns in a new and different way by working directly with some of the nation's most innovative communicators and problem solvers - artists. Artists & Communities is one of the most comprehensive artist-in-residence initiatives ever undertaken, with more than 50 of the nation's recognized artists working collaboratively with organizations in all 50 states and six jurisdictions. Artists & Communities has received major funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the White House Millennium Council has designated the program an Official Millennium Project.

"The Arts Endowment is very pleased to support Artists & Communities, which will bring a wide array of America's finest artists to local settings in all 50 states," said Bill Ivey, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. "Choreographers, writers, composers, painters, sculptors and filmmakers will collaborate with local residents to create new works expressing each community's unique identity, making the arts integral to American life in the new millennium."

This simultaneous set of 56 artist residencies is an initiative designed especially for the millennium, challenging host organizations and participating artists to address five core issues crucial to life in the next century: health, values, cultural diversity, family and community.

Artists & Communities was created by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF), based in Baltimore, MD, in partnership with six other regional arts organizations (New England Foundation for the Arts, Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Southern Arts Federation, Western States Arts Federation, and the Consortium for Pacific Arts and Cultures).

MAAF has a rich history of providing communities with access to the arts through high-quality artist-in-residence programs that constantly seek to create innovative opportunities for artists and audiences alike. With nearly 15 years of developing and implementing artist-in-residence projects, MAAF has long realized that ensuring interaction between community members and artists leads to a better understanding of and a deeper appreciation for the benefits and the power of the arts.

"Artists & Communities was designed to demonstrate the enormous power of the arts to strengthen the quality of life for the individual and his or her community," said Alan Cooper, Executive Director of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. "This program will ask community residents to think and create in ways they have never envisioned before. The result, we hope, is that the collaborative creation of a substantial body of new work will be a catalyst for addressing issues of local importance."

Behind The Scenes
Artists & Communities began in September 1998 with MAAF issuing a national call for artists around the country as applicants to the program. Simultaneously, each regional arts organization, including MAAF, initiated selection of potential host sites from its member states. Following an intensive selection process, 56 nationally acclaimed artists were selected by the designated host organizations in the 50 states and six U.S. jurisdictions. The artists then worked with their future host site to develop a residency plan of action mutually beneficial to their artistic development and their host community's history, demographics, goals, needs and interests.

Sculptors, Performance Artists, Dancers, Painters
The scope and potential of Artists & Communities is reflected in the geographic and professional depth and breadth of artists selected to participate. Each artist has more than five years experience in leading community-based arts projects and will be charged with creating work/arts experiences designed to leave a lasting legacy in his or her host community.

Following are examples of the dynamic artists and host organizations involved:

Steven Yazzie, Painter, Phoenix, AZ
Steven Yazzie is nationally known for the monumental scale murals that he has created relating to Native American issues.

During his Artists & Communities residency, Yazzie will be based at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. He will collaborate with tribal community elders to create a mural depicting the social, cultural and economic ramifications of forced tribe relocations.

Andrea Polli, Digital Media Installation & Performance Artist, Chicago, IL
Andrea Polli is an artist and a technical educator who has lectured around the country on digital art and created corresponding interactive, installation artworks.

During her Artists & Communities residency, Polli will work in Chicago to install a series of interactive kiosks and computer terminals that will encourage people from all walks of life, across the city, to "Pause…enjoy the now."

Richard Mock, Painter/Political Cartoonist/Linocut Artist, Brooklyn, NY
A nationally and internationally syndicated political cartoonist, Richard Mock is an avid and well-respected chronicler of the social, political and economic issues that profoundly affect our planet.

During his Artists & Communities residency in Fargo, ND, Mock will discuss with residents local and world issues affecting them and will conduct a political cartooning class for talented 5th-12th graders. The work done with these adults and students will result in a series of linocuts reflecting that particular community.

The End Results
Since Artists & Communities is such a comprehensive undertaking, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation also realizes the value of measuring and evaluating the ultimate success and impact of this program. The Foundation is designing a survey to capture the impressions of the artists and community program participants involved in this initiative. It is the goal of the survey to demonstrate that the program can generate a true dialogue and connection between artists and community members, a dialogue that has the potential to improve the quality of life. Additionally, the program will have a Web site that will provide detailed information on each residency, and allow for interaction between Web site visitors and residency participants.

Artists & Communities: America Creates for the Millennium, a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, is made possible by major funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Charles E. Culpeper Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Prudential Foundation, the Earle I. Mack Foundation, and The Brimstone Fund.

To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation on the Internet visit: http://www.midatlanticarts.org.
To learn more about the NEA and its other Millennium Projects on the Internet, visit: http://arts.endow.gov.