Art Camp: An Appalachian Solution to an Art Desert

The Appalachian Regional Commission defines a mountainous area from New York to Mississippi as a region of limited economic opportunity and low educational attainment. Appalachia is the home of an arts desert, which exists when there are limited places to view, experience, or create art. To combat this problem, the Gallia-Vinton Educational Service Center partnered with Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts to bring ArtReach to the impoverished students of a three-county area. The students participated in a 4-day arts camp where they explored Appalachian folk crafts as visual art. The guest art instructors selected student projects tied to the culture of the families and the community. Art instructors discussed sharing, learning, and community as important aspects of their educational practice.