Struggling Cities Can Find a Voice Through Art

Accessible Spaces for Creativity Can Change a Community's Narrative from Within

In 2012, San Bernardino, California, filed for bankruptcy with more than $1 billion in debt. The city, about 60 miles east of L.A., is still climbing out from the devastation of the Great Recession. At 20 percent, San Bernardino County’s poverty rate is among the highest in the state. Yet the arts scene is flourishing. A poet and photographer recently joined forces for a public art project to explore residents’ experiences of their city. A new cultural center has asked students to submit art on what they love about San …

How a City Hopes to Fulfill New Dreams

San Bernardino Is Creating Space and Community for the Arts

In Southern California, most people know about San Bernardino and its ongoing municipal bankruptcy. Last summer, the L.A. Times called the city a “symbol of the nation’s urban woes.”

But most …