CONROE’S CULTURAL DISTRICT: ARTS AND COMMUNITY
In September 2022, the city of Conroe received some very good news. Specifically, the Texas Commission on the Arts designated part of downtown Conroe as a Texas Cultural District. According to the TCA, designated Texas Cultural Districts are “special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community vitality.”
One benefit is that arts organizations within the newly-minted Cultural District can apply for Cultural District Project Grants. Some of those grants can be as large as $250,000. Furthermore, this designation supports “place-based” art. Place-based art offers a huge advantage to those who live in and around Conroe.
A great deal of information is available on the positive impact that art and arts organizations have on their local communities. A recent evidence-based study, “WE-Making: How Arts & Culture Unite People to Work Toward Community Well-Being,” demonstrated the importance of art and its positive influence on social cohesion.
Released by Metris Arts Consulting, the study demonstrates that place-based community art can help:
• Connect different people to one another
• Promote inclusion among all types of community members
• Build and share power through community ownership
• Provide a consistent community presence
• Align with community change goals and support desired impacts
Visual art is an important component at ARTAVIA, a master-planned community located southeast of Conroe’s downtown and Cultural District. Residents and visitors to ARTAVIA will find man-made and naturally occurring art throughout our extensive trail system.
From the dramatic Fibonacci Spiral that graces the community’s entryway to the Moon Gate that is both a passageway and fascinating Chinese architectural element . . . these artscapes help enhance ARTAVIA’s natural environment, while offering different viewpoints for contemplation to residents. Furthermore, ARTAVIA’s Art in Nature encourages neighbors to come together and form lasting connections.
Come and see for yourself ARTAVIA’s Art in Nature – and check out our inventory of new homes. To learn more, visit pmmdev3.com.