UT U THE F
this, according to futurist Chet Sisk. It might seem like a fortune teller-esque title but Chet has been a futurist himself for 15 years, studying data and predicting outcomes about people and the human condition in a time of change. The topic of discussion during our conversation was this: “what is the future of arts and culture in rural communities?” “What we’re starting to find out across the board,” he began, “is that arts and culture is the part that we’ve left on the cutting room floor—at our peril.” There was, he explained, a period of time where we, as a society, thought that if we could focus everyone on math, numbers, science and more utilitarian disciplines then we would come out ahead. But the opposite has proven to be true—because that approach didn’t benefit the power of culture. Now, children are falling behind in school, communities are divided and often the world seems downright hopeless. But arts and culture have the power to change this, to shift us back to a more unified time. And, Chet says, it’s rural communities who have realized this first. “A lot of rural communities are becoming quicker to notice how a lack of the arts is having a negative effect on community development, bonding and just community in general,” he says. “It seems to me—and the data is still incomplete—that urban areas will do 46
Winter 2022
HT
The future of the arts is bold, bright and prevalent;
R IG
by Sophie Dingle
SB
F CULTURE O I RE
Photo courtesty of MJH-Shikder
more in the next few years to bring back a renaissance in the arts. They’ll recognize how important the arts have always been and will continue to be going forward.” And why is this a concept that smaller communities are quicker to grasp? It’s for the sake of community, Chet said. What works well in developing community is art, culture, and a shared experience. “What makes us strong is not just people working jobs and making money but also being able to really champion the things that make life have value,” Chet explains. Quality of life, he points out, is neatly tied to the arts. And in a post-pandemic world, quality of life is, well, all the rage. As remote work remains prevalent all over the country, people have the ability to move to and live in any community they desire. If a rural community can position itself as high on the chart in terms of quality of life, it’s in a good place to see growth, expansion and enrichment in many facets, including the arts. Right now, there’s no exact formula for enriching community through the arts, Chet points out. But in the next few years, he expects that a vision forward will be presented with small, rural communities leading the charge, one step at a time creating a vibrant culture of the arts within their communities. ELEVATE THE ARTS: Call the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to support a new amphitheater, the renovation of the Chief Theater and a new Performing Arts Center. SD Art with Altitude