What is creative placemaking in micropolitan communities? And how can art and culture transform small towns into vibrant hubs of creativity?

Investing in arts and creative placemaking is essential for small communities to thrive and connect, and here's the thing - it's possible to turn existing assets into beautiful and valuable spaces.

On this episode, we learn how to do that, plus how to foster community engagement, economic vitality, and a sense of belonging through diverse forms of artistic expression.

Joining us today are:

• Susie Surkamer, President & CEO of South Arts
• Adam Trest, Artist
• David Lewis, Mississippi Arts Commission

Today’s episode is hosted by Casey Steinbacher, Founder and CEO of Finding Next, Ted Abernathy, Founder of Economic Leadership, and Willie Jones, Senior Program Officer at the Danville Regional Foundation.

Home of Future Thinking is produced by Earfluence.

For more on the Home of Future Thinking, including information on the 2024 Conference, visit HomeOfFutureThinking.com.

In Fort Smith Arkansas, the PEAK Innovation Center is is a multi-million dollar educational facility designed specifically for career-focused programming, which delivers hands-on, cutting-edge, technical, and career training to high school students in 22 school districts throughout the River Valley region. It's a collaborative project between Fort Smith Public Schools, the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC), the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, and multiple local businesses in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

So how did it all come about? And what has it meant to Fort Smith's economy?

Let's find out!

We're joined by:

• Gary Udouj, Director of Career Education and District Innovation at Fort Smith Public Schools
• Anita Brackin, Vice President of Workforce Development at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce

Today’s episode is hosted by Casey Steinbacher, Founder and CEO of Finding Next, Ted Abernathy, Founder of Economic Leadership, and Willie Jones, Senior Program Officer at the Danville Regional Foundation.

Home of Future Thinking is produced by Earfluence.

For more on the Home of Future Thinking, including information on the 2024 Conference, visit HomeOfFutureThinking.com.

Today we unpack the power of local narratives to attract businesses, talent, and an engaged community. Economic development specialist Kat Saunders joins us to talk community branding, which transcends mere logos and taglines; it hinges on authentic storytelling and the alignment of a community's internal positioning with its external marketplace message.

There must be close collaboration with economic development and tourism entities to craft impactful campaigns that resonate with various stakeholders.

So how can we do that?

Today’s episode is hosted by Casey Steinbacher, Founder and CEO of Finding Next, Ted Abernathy, Founder of Economic Leadership, and Willie Jones, Senior Program Officer at the Danville Regional Foundation.

Home of Future Thinking is produced by Earfluence.

For more on the Home of Future Thinking, including information on the 2024 Conference, visit HomeOfFutureThinking.com.