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Small Town Big Arts

Small Town Big Arts

By: Grove Street FM
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 www.smalltownbigarts.comGrove Street FM Art Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • How Virginians Power Rural Bath County’s Cultural Ecosystem

    How Virginians Power Rural Bath County’s Cultural Ecosystem
    Aug 5 2025
    In this episode of Small Town Big Arts, we travel to Bath County, Virginia—one of America’s most arts-vibrant rural communities—to explore how Virginia funding, local and statewide, fuels creative life in a small town.

    Host Geoffrey Kershner sits down with leaders from the Garth Newel Music Center and the Bath County Arts Association to discuss the powerful role of the arts in education, economic development, tourism, and community connection. You’ll hear how modest investments from the Virginia Commission for the Arts help sustain year-round programming, nurture local talent, and turn small grants into big impact. From chamber music in the mountains to new community art spaces in Hot Springs, this episode highlights why rural arts matter—and why public funding is essential to their future. 🔗 Learn more at vaforarts.org
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Pizza Huts and the American Dream

    Pizza Huts and the American Dream
    Jul 1 2025
    What do old Pizza Huts, small-town entrepreneurship, and the American dream have in common? In this episode of Small Town Big Arts, we sit down with filmmakers Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker, creators of the documentary Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts.

    Traveling across the country—from Texas to Illinois—Salleh and Tucker uncover how communities breathe new life into familiar spaces, transforming once-iconic red-roofed pizza parlors into churches, dispensaries, community hubs, and more. Together, we explore how reuse becomes a form of storytelling, how entrepreneurship echoes artistic practice, and what it means to represent small towns on screen with honesty and respect.

    Whether you’re an artist making work about a small community or simply fascinated by the ingenuity that defines small town America, this conversation explores how "outsiders" can explore how smaller communities build, adapt, and dream. Join us for a thoughtful look at place, identity, and the creative spirit that turns empty buildings—and entire towns—into canvases of possibility.

    You can find the film on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DZY4M1XF/ref=msx_wn_av
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    51 mins
  • The RiffRaff Arts Collective- Princeton, WV (pop. 5,872)

    The RiffRaff Arts Collective- Princeton, WV (pop. 5,872)
    May 22 2025
    The RiffRaff Arts Collective is a dynamic creative hub located in the heart of Princeton, West Virginia. Since its founding, RiffRaff has reimagined what arts-led revitalization can look like in an Appalachian town navigating post-industrial challenges. With a bold vision for community transformation, the organization has anchored a vibrant downtown renaissance—bringing together visual artists, musicians, performers, and civic leaders to activate public spaces, support local talent, and cultivate a thriving cultural ecosystem. I had the privilege of speaking with founder Lori McKinney, whose unwavering belief in the power of creativity has shaped RiffRaff into both an arts collective and a movement for community healing. Her insights offer a compelling look at how sustained artistic investment can build pride, belonging, and opportunity in places too often overlooked. To learn more about RiffRaff Arts Collective, visit their website at: https://riffraffartscollective.com/
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    55 mins
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