History

Arts Alive was founded in 2007 and incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 2009, with an executive director and a 14-member board of directors representing a broad spectrum of communities, artistic backgrounds and business affiliations. In its early history it was a collaborative of arts organizations seeking to build more dynamic relationships with each other and position the arts as an essential element of the community’s wellbeing. From economic impact research, to working with municipalities to integrate arts into town plans, to creating a collaborative arts calendar, to developing a list of venues across the region that were accessible to aspiring event producers - the work began as collective action.

Arts Alive has been a catalyst for numerous projects since 2009, through its fiscal sponsorship program. The organization often has five to ten active fiscal sponsees operating in this program. Past collaborations have included launching the Monadnock International Film Festival, Ashuelot Concerts, and MAXT Makerspace, and supporting the almost $400,000 Walldogs Magical History Tour Mural Festival and installation of over 16 historic murals in downtown Keene.

Recognizing the vital role of business development for creatives, Arts Alive forged a transformative partnership with the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship in 2014. Arts Alive's commitment to supporting artists and creatives is exemplified in its membership. Offering individual coaching since 2017 in partnership with the Hannah Grimes Center, the organization ensures personalized guidance, empowering the region's artistic community to thrive.

Beyond direct support, Arts Alive has contributed to the arts community's vitality by providing local data, research, and letters of support for grant applications. The organization conducted crucial studies like the Arts and Economic Prosperity study in 2009, 2016, and 2022, as well as the Arts Access and Arts & Loneliness Study in 2021. The insights garnered from these projects have been instrumental in securing grants and support for various arts organizations.

In 2016, Arts Alive took a monumental step forward by launching the Discover Monadnock brand and platform, a collaborative effort with local chambers of commerce, the Monadnock Travel Council, and major arts institutions - work that had begun in 2008. This initiative, spanning a website, social media, printed materials, and cooperative advertising, now reaches thousands, fostering a deep connection to the arts within and beyond the region.

At the core of this mission is the annual Ewing Arts Awards, a partnership with the Keene Sentinel since 2015. This flagship program celebrates 12-14 local creatives or organizations annually, sharing their inspiring stories to weave a cultural tapestry that enriches the entire community.

The year leading up the pandemic, the organization began to undergo a deep investigation of the meaning of its formal mission: “Advancing Arts and Culture to Enhance Quality of Life in the Monadnock Region.” The pandemic and ensuing lockdowns deepened Arts Alive’s commitment to nurturing leaders in the creative industries and increasing access to the arts for all community members.

Arts Alive's enduring partnership with Keene State College and Southern New Hampshire University underscores its dedication to nurturing future generations of artists. Collaborations on graphic design, communications, program development, and public art exemplify Arts Alive's commitment to fostering a sustainable and thriving arts ecosystem, embracing the leaders and artists of tomorrow.

The organization's dedication to community engagement is evident in a partnership that began in 2019 with Keene ArtWalk, a free festival that partners artists with local businesses for an accessible main street gallery show where business windows become displays for art of all kinds. Arts Alive provides technical services, hosting the event's program information on the Arts Alive website and activating Keene ArtWalk social media channels.

A testament to its commitment to inclusive community development is the receipt of a Citizens Institute on Rural Design grant in 2019. This supports the visionary Keene Arts Corridor project, aligning with Arts Alive's years-long engagement in municipal plans for arts-positive community development. With a growing vision around increasing access to the arts, Arts Alive engaged and paid local artists and lower income residents to be a part of the design development process.

In 2021, Arts Alive addressed barriers artists face with a mini-grant program, providing essential support to 10-12 artists biennially. This initiative, grounded in the belief that access to the arts is a human right tied to community well-being, has been transformative for recipients living at or below the poverty line.

Since 2022, Arts Alive has been a beacon for emerging artists through the annual Elevate the Arts Fest, fostering creativity and community engagement through an annual free festival that features arts activities and art making, an artists’ market, and open mic, and performances by community arts groups.

Arts Alive initiated our "field trips" in 2023, these casual engagements explore regional resources available to artists and creatives. The organization also hosts the annual Arts Leadership Summit since 2016. Both programs foster connections and learning opportunities for over 100 participants each year, and both focus on nourishing, inspiring, and supporting the creative leaders in our region.

Arts Alive's impact extends beyond the local sphere, as the organization has presented projects, strategies, and learning at various regional and national events. These include engagements with the New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Presenters, Arts4NH, NH Creative Communities Network, NH Arts Learning Network, and Plan NH. In 2015 Arts Alive was the “local partner” for the Creative Communities Exchange, an exchange of project and ideas from communities all over New England, presented by the New England Foundation for the Arts.

Executive Director, Jessica Iris (Gelter), has raised the profile of the organization over the course of many years. She received two fellowships from National Arts Strategies in 2019 and 2021. Actively contributing to the national discourse, including with Americans for the Arts and the Center for Democracy and participating in grant review panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. The Radically Rural program, in partnership with the Hannah Grimes Center, has allowed Arts Alive to leverage these national connections. Arts Alive coordinates the content for the Radically Rural Arts and Culture Track, featuring speakers from across rural communities in the United States. Since 2018 speakers have included artists, performers, arts leaders, and even someone on the team to organize the annual Burning Man.

As Arts Alive continues to evolve, its history remains a testament to the transformative power of the arts in building vibrant, connected communities, grounded in the belief that access to the arts is a fundamental human right essential for community well-being.