IMPACT Arts Residency
The IMPACT Arts Residency program serves the residents of affordable housing communities in Arlington. Affordable housing resident services liaisons at partner locations facilitate the work of an artist-in-residence to develop a participatory art project for the diverse population of the affordable housing community which will reflect their stories, histories, and cultures. The engagement process centers these often marginalized communities in the artist-led creation of a permanent art project for display in a public or common space available to the tenants.
Artists-in-residence are chosen by an artist selection panel comprised of affordable housing partner staff and Cultural Affairs staff. The resident artist is provided a community space at the affordable housing site where they engage residents in the participatory art making. The resident services liaison plays an important role in introducing and connecting interested community members with the artist. The artist develops the concept, selects the medium, and plans the community engagement to inform the creation of a permanent public artwork for the site.
The intention for the IMPACT Arts Residency program is to direct public art contributions collected from affordable housing site plan projects to benefit the residents of these projects. Public Art is a standard site plan conditioned community benefit for high-density office, residential or mixed-use developments that are approved at or near the allowable maximum height or density. The program provides opportunities to address three major goals: 1) to enable disadvantaged County residents to capture, share and celebrate their stories; 2) to enrich the affordable housing resident experience through building community, creating beauty, and providing stress relieving engagement opportunities; and, 3) to connect disadvantaged residents with the broader community.