Counties Poised to Pursue Solutions Through the Arts

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Counties (NACo) and Americans for the Arts today announced six winners of the 2022 Creative Counties Placemaking Challenge, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

In the coming months, experts at Americans for the Arts will provide virtual training and expertise as the teams explore arts-based strategies to meet policy objectives.

The winning counties are:

• Greenbrier County, W.Va.
• Hawaii County, Hawaii
• La Crosse County, Wis.
• Perry County, Ohio
• Potter County, Pa.
• Van Buren County, Mich.

Nolen V. Bivens, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, commented, “Community is where the arts make a difference. The arts make us feel at home in our communities, allow us to explore ideas and express emotions, and build and sustain resiliency during difficult times. I congratulate the Creative Counties Placemaking Challenge winners and look forward to learning more about how they are using the creative economy to help solve local challenges.”

NACo and Americans for the Arts invited small- and medium-sized counties to assemble teams of county leaders, local artists and other stakeholders to imagine how art can be used to strengthen communities.

“The arts can play a pivotal role in transforming communities and improving residents’ quality of life,” said NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase. “We applaud the Creative Counties Placemaking Challenge winners for embracing the arts as a tool to achieve local priorities.”

On July 25, the counties will participate in an in-person session in Adams County, Colo., in conjunction with NACo’s 2022 Annual Conference. The completion of the program is slated for January 21, 2023.

Click here to learn more about the winning teams.

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The National Association of Counties (NACo) strengthens America’s counties, including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees. Founded in 1935, NACo unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policymaking; promote exemplary county policies and practices; nurture leadership skills and expand knowledge networks; optimize county and taxpayer resources and cost savings; and enrich the public’s understanding of county government. www.naco.org

Americans for the Arts is a nonprofit organization that advances the arts and arts education advocacy in America. Based in Washington, D.C., it has a record of more than 60 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for everyone to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.