Arts-based community development: rural remote realities and challenges

In the context of burgeoning acknowledgement that the arts, and skills inherent in artistic/creative processes, have potential to meaningfully contribute to socio-economic growth and community renewal, this article reports on research across 12 Australian communities examining perceptions the arts in supporting community regeneration. It focuses on community perceptions of the extent arts-based programmes are integrated with other community development programmes and harnessing economic, social and cultural potentials. Results suggest that while the arts play an important role in communities, they are under-valued, under-accessed and under-used. This article issues new challenges to artists and community arts workers and suggests the need to work more proactively and collaboratively with key community stakeholders to harness and integrate artistic skills and capabilities across a full spectrum of community interests.