On Tuesday, September 24th from 5-7p, Arts Alive will be hosting a welcome dinner for Radically Rural Arts Track presenters. Arts Alive board members and arts ambassadors are welcome to join us for a drink, an appetizer, or dinner. Arts Alive will provide some appetizers—guests will be responsible for their own dinner and/or drinks. We'll be seated at the community table at Fireworks Restaurant in Keene, meaning we'll be sitting in tall, low-backed chairs at a high-rise table. RSVP required.

Who’s joining us?

Roy Schlieben, Executive Director, MAXT Makerspace; Jeremy Dennis, Lead Artist & President, Ma’s House; Andrew Huckins, The Collective, Lupinewood will be speaking at Session 1: Building Physical Rural Arts Spaces One Community at a Time on September 25 from 2-3p at Delegation Hall at the Keene Courthouse. 

Paula Frisch, Social Practice Artist; Craig Stockwell, Artist; Linda Ramrath, Quilt Artist, Cheshire Quilters Guild; Cathy Harvey, Quilt Artist, Cheshire Quilters Guild will be speaking at Session 2: What is Social Practice Art? Come Quilt with us and Experience it Yourself! on September 26 from 11a-12:30p at Heberton Hall in the Keene Public Library.

Read more on the arts track sessions here.

optional film screening

From 7-9pm, Radically Rural is diving headfirst into this year's theme of regenerating rural with a screening of the 2023 documentary "Join or Die" at the Colonial Performing Art Center's SHOWROOM at 20 Commercial St. Keene.

In this feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis.

Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Eddie Glaude Jr., Raj Chetty, and Priya Parker — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it?

Run time 1h 39m.