International Themes in Rural Arts Administration Research

Authors

  • Elise Lael Kieffer Murray State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12795/CEC.2025.i11.06

Keywords:

Rural Arts Management, Critical Rural Theory, Collaboration, Identity, Place-based

Abstract

This article explores the context of rurality and how it informs arts management pedagogy and practice around the world. Drawing from a wide-ranging international literature review, it critically examines how rural spaces are framed not only by what they lack in comparison to urban areas—such as infrastructure, density, or access—but also by unique, place-based cultural identities and practices. Through the lens of Critical Rural Theory, the paper challenges the urban-normative frameworks that have historically shaped arts administration, arguing that strategies designed for metropolitan contexts are often inappropriate or ineffective when applied to rural communities. Instead, the article advocates for an intellectual shift that embraces the innovation, self-definition, and inter-sector collaboration inherent to rural arts practice. Ultimately, the article calls for an arts management pedagogy that centers rural experiences not as derivative of the urban, but as distinct and equally valuable sources of knowledge and practice.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Duxbury, N. (2021). Cultural and creative work in rural and remote areas: An emerging international conversation. International Journal of Cultural Policy : CP, 27(6), 753–767. doi: 10.1080/10286632.2020.1837788

Duxbury, N., & Campbell, H. (2011). Developing and revitalizing rural communities througharts and culture. Small cities imprint, 3(1), 111-122.

Gallagher, B. K. (2021). Death and life: The promise and problems of the arts in rural communities. International Journal of Arts Management, 23(2), 30-42.

Hernández-Acosta, J. J. (2020). Navigating between arts management and cultural agency: Latin America’s contribution to a new approach for the field. Managing Culture: Reflecting On Exchange In Global Times, 271-291. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24646-4_12

Horwitz, E. L. (1974). Mountain people, mountain crafts. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincoft Company.

Kieffer, E. L. & Socolof, J. (2024). Rural arts management. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003365853

Kokkranikal, J. J., & Baum, T. (2002). Human resources development for tourism in rural communities: A case study of Kerala. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 7(2), 64-76. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941660208722119

Lysgård, H. K. (2016). The ‘actually existing’ cultural policy and culture-led strategies of rural places and small towns. Journal of Rural Studies, 44, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.12.014

National Governors Association. (2019). Rural prosperity through the arts and creative sector: Arural action guide for governors and states. National Governors Association.

Ruiz-Gutiérrez, J., Grant, P. S., & Colbert, F. (2016). Arts management in developing countries: A Latin American perspective. International Journal of Arts Management, 6-31.

Tully, K., & Schrag, A. (2025). Community contexts over solutions: Observations from the Rural Art Network, Scotland. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2025.2473903

Skippington, P. A., & Davis, D. F. (2016). Arts-based community development: Rural remote realities and challenges. Rural Society, 25(3), 222–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/10371656.2016.1255477

Trang Le, T., & Kolleck, N. (2022). The power of places in building cultural and arts education networks and cooperation in rural areas. Social Inclusion, 10(3), 284-294. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v10i3.5299

Woods, M. (2011). Rural. New York: Routledge.

Downloads

Published

2025-12-09

How to Cite

Lael Kieffer, E. (2025). International Themes in Rural Arts Administration Research. Cuadernos De Economía De La Cultura, (11), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.12795/CEC.2025.i11.06

Issue

Section

Artículos