A Restless Art
Author: François Matarasso
Publisher : Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 2019
This key text by leading practitioner François Matarasso describes the history, theory and practice of community art, along with multiple case studies and other resources, is available for free download as a PDF
Art as Politics: The Future of Art and Community
Author: Adam Michael Krause
Publisher : New Compass Press, 2018
Adam Krause examines the disconnect between art and everyday life, arguing that the culture industry has reduced artistic expression to mere commodities. He explores ways to reverse this process and restore art as a vital force in thriving communities. Drawing inspiration from figures like John Cage, Joseph Beuys, and John Dewey, as well as Social Ecology and DIY punk, Krause presents a bold vision for re-integrating art into daily life, fostering creativity, and strengthening community bonds.
Art in Other Places: Artists at Work in America’s Community and Social Institutions
Author: William Cleveland
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 1992
This book explores the transformative role of the arts in institutional and community settings over the past 15 years. Through 22 pioneering programs, it highlights how creative writing, performing, and visual arts have positively impacted hospital patients, prisoners, the elderly, and other marginalized groups. Featuring first-hand accounts, case studies, and research, it examines artistic, educational, and therapeutic approaches, as well as financial and political strategies for sustaining these initiatives. It is a vital resource for artists, educators, and community leaders.
Arts-Based Interventions and Social Change in Europe
Editor: Andrea Kárpáti
Publisher: Routledge, 2023
This book showcases 23 successful arts-based initiatives addressing social challenges in disadvantaged communities. Highlighting the power of the arts to combat discrimination, marginalization, and poverty, it presents adaptable and sustainable educational programs. Case studies include support for children with disabilities, migrants adjusting to new cultures, and Roma youth challenging stereotypes. By exploring the links between social, economic, and cultural exclusion, contributors demonstrate how the arts can build skills, strengthen identities, and foster community. It is a valuable resource for scholars in arts and education fields.
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons
Art, Activism, and Oppositionality
Essays from Afterimage
Editor: Grant H. Kester
Publisher: Duke University Press, 1998
Art, Activism, and Oppositionality challenges the notion that activist art compromises aesthetic value, arguing instead that it can be its most authentic expression. Edited by Grant H. Kester, the book gathers sixteen key essays from Afterimage, a leading journal in media and visual arts. It explores the intersection of aesthetics, theory, and activism, highlighting the ongoing relevance of politically engaged art. By shaping debates on visual culture and arts education, it reaffirms the power of art as a tool for social and political change.
Artists and People
Author: Su Braden
Publisher: Routledge, Chapman & Hall,2025
First published in 1978, Artists and People by Su Braden explores the impact of arts programs that place artists in community settings such as schools, libraries, and housing estates. Contrasting formal residencies with grassroots creative expression, Braden highlights the social value of liberating art from traditional institutions. Drawing from her experience as a community arts worker, she examines how artistic freedom can thrive outside galleries and theaters, emphasizing that the right to creative expression belongs to everyone, not just professional artists.
Art: Process: Change, INside a Socially Situated Practice
Author: Lorraine Leeson
Publisher: Routledge,2019
Art: Process: Change brings a practitioner’s insight to bear on socially situated art practice through a first-hand glimpse into the development, organisation and delivery of art projects with social agendas. Issues examined include the artist’s role in building creative frameworks, the relationship of collaboration to participation, management of collective input, and wider repercussions of the ways that projects are instigated, negotiated and funded. The book contributes to ongoing debates on ethics/aesthetics or art initiatives where process, product and social relations are integral to the mix, and addresses issues of practical functionality in relation to social outcome..
Art and Social Change: A Critical Reader
Editors: Charles Esche, Will Bradley
Publisher:,Tate Publishing, 2008
Art and Social Change explores the deep connection between art and social and political transformation, a key theme in both contemporary debate and art history. Bringing together essential texts from the late 19th century onward, the volume uses primary sources, case studies, and new commissions to trace art’s evolving role in activism and utopian visions. Featuring artists’ writings, public statements, and critical essays, it also expands beyond Western art history to highlight diverse global perspectives.
Arts, Culture and Community Development (Rethinking Community Development)
Editors: Rosie Meade and Mae Shaw
Publisher< Policy Press, 2021
This book examines the role of arts and cultural practices in community development, showcasing examples from Lebanon, Latin America, China, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, and beyond. Featuring insights from academics and practitioners across six continents, it explores how communities use the arts to express identity, challenge social conditions, and drive change. By investigating the theory and practice of cultural democracy, the book highlights diverse artistic forms—including music, theater, muralism, dance, and circus arts—as powerful tools for engagement and transformation.
Bath Arts Workshop: counterculture in the 1970s
Author: Bath Arts Workshop
Publisher : Tangent Books, 2021
The Bath Arts Workshop was created just as the swinging 60s gave way to the turbulent 70s. A unique counterculture that sprang up in the city, it was a spectacular flowering of creative activity, community technology and social enterprise. The authors tell the story, from its birth in a Georgian basement in 1969, to the end of the next decade. The book takes the reader behind the scenes of an organisation that had a significant impact at the time, describing how it worked, the extraordinary range and scale of its activities, and how many of its ideas still resonate today.
A PDF of the book can be downloaded here
Beginnings: A Cambridge Community Arts Anthology
Authors:, Debbie Collison , Laura Foley et al
Publisher: Cambridge Community Arts, 2023
Cambridge Community Arts empowers adults at risk of social exclusion by providing a supportive space for creative expression. Working with passionate practitioners, the organization helps individuals overcome barriers to arts and education, fostering confidence and artistic identity. Over a year, participants developed their writing skills and unique voices, proving that anyone can create stories and everyone deserves to be heard. This project highlights the importance of amplifying diverse perspectives and nurturing talent that simply needs the opportunity to grow.
Beautiful Rising: Creative Resistance from the Global South
Author: Rebecca Zorach
Publisher: Duke University Press, 2019
Beautiful Rising is a vital resource for activists, sharing creative strategies for resistance drawn from grassroots organisers across the Global South. Developed through collaborative sessions in cities like Yangon, Kampala, and Oaxaca, it presents powerful stories of inventive protests, from Ugandans using pigs to challenge corruption to Lebanese campaigns against political stagnation. Combining practical tools with deep activist principles, this book offers hope and guidance for those seeking to drive social change and challenge injustice worldwide.
Between Grace and Fear: The Role of the Arts in a Time of Change
Authors: William Cleveland, Patricia Allen Shifferd
Publishe : Common Ground Publishing, 2010
This book presents a series of interviews with 30 experts, including social theorists, scholars, philanthropists, scientists, theologians, artists, and community activists. Inspired by works like The Great Turning by David Korten and A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink, it explores the need for a new way of organizing human relationships and our connection to nature. The interviewees discuss the role of artists and arts organizations in shaping a more just and sustainable society, offering diverse perspectives on the transformative power of the arts.
Bridging Communities through Socially Engaged Art
Editors: Alice Wexler, Vida Sabbaghi
Publisher: Routledge Advances in Art and Visual Studies, 2019
Promoting the expansion of art in society and education, this book emphasises the role of the arts in advancing social justice, inclusion, equity, and environmental protection. Featuring twenty-seven diverse case studies, including collaborations with Black Lives Matter, the LGBTQ community, and Rikers Island, “this book” offers guidance for art educators seeking innovative, transdisciplinary approaches. It explores the dynamics between artists and educators, museums and communities, serving as a valuable resource for creating transformative spaces for change.
Communal Arts and Community Organizing: A Study of Community Theatre Experience in Nkalagu
Author: Joseph A. Nnaji
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2021
Community theatre, grounded in the principles of Paulo Freire, serves as a tool for liberation by fostering critical consciousness and challenging passive acceptance. This project recounts an initiative in Nkalagu, a deeply divided community marked by feuds and a lack of cohesion that hindered development. On 26th December 2007, community theatre was employed to address these issues. The performance prompted self-reflection among residents, as evidenced by their admissions during the post-production discussion, highlighting its potential to inspire community organisation.
Community Art
An Anthropological Perspective
Author: Kate Crehan
Publisher: Routledge, 2011
Exploring key concerns in the anthropology of art and art theory, “Community Art: An Anthropological Perspective” offers the first detailed anthropological study of community art. It traces the forty-year history of Free Form Arts Trust, a pioneering British group that challenged the gallery art world by engaging working-class communities through collaborative projects. Rejecting individualised artistic practice, Free Form transformed both aesthetics and social engagement. The book interrogates concepts of art, expertise, and community, extending its relevance well beyond Britain’s borders.
Community Art and Power: Essays from ICAF 2011
Authors: Various
Publisher: ICAF, 20211
Following the 2011 International Community Arts Festival in Rotterdam, themed “Power of Community Arts,” a collection of essays and reports was compiled by artists and theorists, led by director Eugene van Erven. The book features diverse perspectives, including Matt Jennings on Northern Ireland, Kerrie Schaefer on Big hART, and François Matarasso on evolving roles in community arts. It also includes pieces by Jan Cohen-Cruz, Debajehmujig from Canada, and others exploring intercultural music and Argentine community theater.
Community art and the state
Author: Owen Kelly
Publisher: Comedia, 1984
“Community Art & the State” by Owen Kelly critically revisits the evolution of cultural activism and community art over three decades. It contrasts individual and collective creativity, highlighting the importance of community-led initiatives in shaping artistic practices. Blending historical insight with contemporary relevance, Kelly’s analysis argues for a richer understanding of community art’s role in driving social change and challenges dominant narratives within the art world.
Community Art Therapy: Theory and Practice
Author: Emily Goldstein Nolan
Publisher: Routledge, 2024
“Community Art Therapy” offers a narrative exploration of community art therapy, drawing on its practical roots, theoretical foundations, and diverse applications. Through practitioner reflections and carefully developed strategies, the book guides readers in applying community-based approaches within therapeutic and artistic contexts. It serves as a valuable resource for art therapists, community artists, psychologists, and those interested in understanding how community art therapy can support and transform both individuals and communities through creative engagement.
Community Art: Creative Approaches to Practice
Editor: Jill M. Chonody
Publisher: Common Ground Publishing, 2014
“Community Art: Creative Approaches to Practice” is a collection of essays exploring diverse art forms—such as mural art, storytelling, drumming, and horticulture—as tools for self-expression and social change. Each chapter presents a specific approach, its benefits for various populations, and practical guidance for implementation. Drawing on current research, the book highlights art’s transformative potential for individuals and communities. It includes evaluation methods useful for funding and practice assessment, making it valuable for practitioners across multiple disciplines.
Community Arts and Evaluation Practices in Egypt
Author: Heba El Sheikh
Publisher: Lambert Academic Publishing, 2015
In “Community Arts and Evaluation Practices in Egypt”, Heba El Sheikh examines the numerous challenges facing arts managers in Egypt, including lack of support, limited resources, and corruption. Seeking to improve community arts practice, she explores the field’s origins and travels to the UK to find effective evaluation methods suited to Egypt’s complex context. The book proposes a simple, systematic evaluation diary as a management tool, enabling practitioners to assess, reflect on, and develop their work and its societal impact.
Community Art the Politics of TrespassinG
Editors: Paul De Bruyne and Pascal Gielen
Publisher: Valiz
Community Art: The Politics of Trespassing” is the third volume from the Dutch research group Arts in Society, examining artistic responses to socio-political change. Addressing the Anglo-American dominance in community arts discourse, it highlights developments in Belgium and the Netherlands while connecting globally. Through interviews, essays, diary entries, and scholarly texts, the book explores shifting practices and policies. Emphasising “community art” over “community performance,” it reflects transformations in media, genre, and political engagement, advocating for new conceptual frameworks.
Community Arts Education: Transversal Global Perspectives (Artwork Scholarship: International Perspectives in Education)
Editors: Ching-Chiu Lin, Anita Sinner, Rita L. Irwin
Publisher: Intellect Books, 2023
Invoking ‘transversality’ as both theoretical and methodological framework, this volume brings together 55 contributors from sixteen countries—community professionals, scholars, artists, educators, and activists—who explore the multifaceted landscape of community arts education. Addressing global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous justice, migration, equity and inclusion, and grassroots activism, the book presents studies and case examples across diverse contexts. It highlights how community arts education responds to and engages with complex social, cultural, and political dynamics worldwide.
Community-based Arts, Research and Activism in Uganda: We Are Walukuba
Editors: Jane Plastow, Katie McQuaid
Publisher: Methuen Drama,2025
This book offers a compelling account of the first seven years of an ongoing, arts-based programme of research, activism, and creative collaboration in a marginalised community in Jinja, Uganda. Through a partnership between European and Ugandan academics, artists, and local residents, the projects addressed pressing issues such as gender, health, domestic violence, corruption, and environmental concerns. Combining theatre, film, dance, and more, the book highlights creativity as a vital force for empowerment and human development, while openly reflecting on both challenges and achievements.
Creating the Future: Art, Communities and Change
Author: Maddy Costa
Publisher: Local Trust, 2019
“Creating the Future: Art, Communities and Change” explores the impact of the Big Local programme—one of the UK’s most radical funding initiatives—granting £1 million to 150 historically overlooked areas, with no top-down conditions. Emphasising community leadership and long-term change, the programme supports diverse projects, from housing to health. This essay focuses on the powerful role of arts and creativity in reimagining communities, highlighting case studies from Ramsgate, Liverpool, Eastbourne, and Lincolnshire, and links to the Creative Civic Change initiative addressing social issues through creative practice.
The report is available to download online at https://localtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/local_trust_creating_the_future_essay.pdf
Creative Arts Therapies and the LGBTQ Community: Theory and Practice
Editors: Briana MacWilliam, Brian T Harris, Dana George Trottier, Kristin Long
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2019
“Creative Arts Therapies and the LGBTQ Community: Theory and Practice” offers theoretical insight and practical tools for creative arts therapists working with LGBTQ clients, including transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Addressing issues such as ally development, unconscious bias, and intersectionality, the book features case studies and interventions across various modalities—such as portraiture and music therapy. It highlights both practitioner and community perspectives, making it a vital resource for addressing mental health challenges and fostering inclusive, affirming therapeutic spaces.
Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development
Author: Donald Adams, Arlene Goldbard
Publisher: Lulu, 2005
In “Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development”, Adams and Goldbard explores the role of community-based artists who engage meaningfully with diverse groups through cultural institutions, schools, places of worship, and community centres. These artists foster reflection, joy, and social growth while navigating cultural and class differences. Emphasising consensus-building and open dialogue, the authors highlight how creative practices can provoke discourse, stimulate participation, and inspire collective action, making art a powerful tool for community development and cohesion. See also below an expanded version by Arlene Goldbard, New Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development.
Cultural Democracy and the need to Make Art
Editors: Alison Jeffers, Gerri Morriarti
Publisher: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama,2017
“Culture, Democracy and the Right to Make Art” traces the evolution of the UK’s community arts movement, from its radical 1960s countercultural roots to its fragmented state in the 1980s, and assesses its ongoing influence on participatory arts today. Through essays and first-hand accounts, it explores the movement’s practices across the UK and examines how technologies, funding, training, and curation shape current socially engaged art. This insightful volume highlights the enduring impact of community arts on cultural life and democratic expression.
This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com .
Developing a Sense of Place: The Role of the Arts in Regenerating Communities
Editors: Tamara Ashley, Alexis Weedon
Publisher: UCL Press, 2020
This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com . “Developing a Sense of Place: The Role of the Arts in Regenerating Communities”, edited by Tamara Ashley and Alexis Weedon, explores how the arts contribute to community regeneration through place-making. Featuring case studies from the UK and beyond, the book highlights creative partnerships between universities and regional communities. Divided into three sections—covering place-making practices, models, and multidisciplinary approaches—it offers insights from artists, academics, and cultural strategists. This volume is a valuable resource for planners, policymakers, and students in the arts, geography, and cult
Eyes on Stalks
Author: John Fox
Publisher: Methuen Drama, 2003
“Eyes on Stalks” is an autobiographical and richly illustrated account of Welfare State International’s groundbreaking work in site-specific and community-based theatre. Spanning three decades, the book combines personal stories, poems, instructions, and sketches to document the company’s radical philosophy and creative techniques. It covers everything from lantern processions and street shows to alternative rites of passage and community regeneration. Offering both inspiration and practical guidance, it serves as a vibrant manual for artists interested in celebratory, participatory, and socially engaged performance.
Gallery as Community: Art, Education, Politics
Editor: Marijke Steedman
Publisher: Whitechapel Gallery, 2012
This publication explores a strand of curatorial practice rooted in gallery-initiated, socially engaged projects that extend beyond traditional exhibition spaces. It examines the complexities of context-driven, community-oriented work, highlighting the tensions and diverse interpretations across institutions. Featuring a foreword by Marijke Steedman and an introduction by Grant Kester, the book includes ten themed conversations and an illustrated section documenting significant projects. Contributors from leading UK galleries share insights into evolving curatorial strategies that challenge conventional ideas of community, participation, and the role of the gallery.
Global Perspectives on Youth Arts Programs
How and Why the Arts Can Make a Difference
Author: Frances Howard
Publisher: Policy Press, 2024
In “Global Perspectives on Youth Arts Programs”, Frances Howard makes a compelling argument for the transformative potential of youth arts programmes, while critically examining their limitations, including issues of access and class-based inequality. Drawing on her own experience and international case studies, Howard explores how youth arts can nurture personal development, support participatory democracy, and drive social change. This accessible and practice-informed book is essential reading for students, academics, and practitioners in education, youth work, and community arts.
Make Arts for a Better Life: A Guide for Working with Communities
Authors: Kathleen Van Buren, Brian Shrag
Publisher: Oxford University Press. 2018
“Make Arts for a Better Life: A Guide for Working with Communities” by Kathleen Van Buren and Brian Shrag offers a comprehensive framework for arts-based community engagement. Drawing from ethnomusicology, anthropology, and community development, the book guides readers through researching local artistic practices and creating projects that respond to community-defined needs. Featuring global case studies, practical tools, and ethical reflections, it supports project design, implementation, and evaluation. Accessible and versatile, the guide is a valuable resource for educators, scholars, and practitioners across artistic and cultural disciplines.
New Creative Community: The art of Cultural development
Author: Arlene Goldbard
Publisher: New Village Press, 2006
This inspiring and foundational book introduces the emerging field of community cultural development. Drawing on personal stories, historical context and close observation, Arlene Goldbard shows how communities express and shape their identities through the creative arts. Richly illustrated with photographs, it explores practices such as oral history–based theatre and murals celebrating cultural heritage. Accessible to non-specialist readers while remaining valuable for students and practitioners, the book builds on Goldbard’s influential body of work in community arts and cultural theory.
The Social Impact of Creative Arts in Australian Communities
Author: Sandra Gattenhof, Donna Hancox, Helen Klaebe, Sasha Mackay
Publisher: Springer,. 2021
“The Social Impact of Creative Arts in Australian Communities” explores how arts engagement contributes to well-being, social inclusion, and education across urban and regional Australia. Through narrative case studies, the book examines the outcomes of creative programmes and offers frameworks for assessing cultural value—intrinsic, instrumental, and institutional. It also reflects on Australian arts policy and funding, presenting evidence of the arts’ lasting impact on community capacity. This comprehensive volume provides valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in the societal role of the arts.
Transmedia Knowledge for Liberal Arts and Community Engagement: A Studiolab Manifesto
Author: Jon McKenzie
Publisher: Palgrave Pivot, 2019
“Transmedia Knowledge for Liberal Arts and Community Engagement” by Jon McKenzie proposes a transformative pedagogy that merges critical thinking, media activism, and design thinking to revitalise the liberal arts. Through the StudioLab approach, McKenzie encourages the creation of transmedia knowledge—from texts and videos to comics and installations—bridging seminar, studio, lab, and fieldwork. Engaging with Plato and the nature of knowledge itself, the book advocates for higher education rooted in collective, community-engaged action, aiming to democratise digital culture and empower students as active participants in society.
Using Art for Social Transformation: International Perspective for Social Workers, Community Workers and Art Therapists
Editors: Eltje Bos, Ephrat Huss
Publisher: Routledge, 2022
“Using Art for Social Transformation” explores the diverse and interdisciplinary field of social arts, highlighting how creative practices can foster personal and collective change. Featuring international case studies—from photo-voice and community theatre to crafts for empowerment and arts-based research—the book illustrates how art contributes to resilience, social inclusion, civic engagement, and the disruption of dominant power structures. With a focus on methods and theory, it serves as a practical and academic resource for educators, social practitioners, and artists working towards meaningful, community-driven transformation.
Wanted Community Artists
Author: Rod Brooks
Publisher: Gulbenkein Foundation,1988
Wanted Community Artists is a summary of key principles and practices drawn from the Gulbenkian Community Arts Apprenticeship Scheme (1984–1988), which aimed to address the shortage of well-trained community artists in the UK. Prompted by successful pilot schemes, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation developed a workplace-based training model that combined hands-on learning with external placements. This booklet reflects on the lessons learned over four years of the scheme, drawing on detailed monitoring, reports, and feedback from apprentices and host organisations. It offers valuable guidance for those developing or refining training programmes in community arts.