Radically Rural
What is Radically Rural?
Every year in late September, leaders and changemakers from around the country gather in Keene, NH for the annual Radically Rural summit. A jam-packed two days of lectures, classes, roundtables, mixers, and activities, the summit is designed to build networks and generate ideas to promote flourishing rural communities. Larger events like the keynote, classes, concerts, and celebrations are open to all registrants. To anchor in the emphasis on unique thriving communities, all gatherings, food, and entertainment focus on small, local businesses.
There are various “tracks” for which participants can register. They have included: Arts & Culture, Clean Energy, Community Journalism, Entrepreneurship, All in for Health, Land & Community, and Main Street. Learn more about these tracks here.
Arts & Culture Track
Arts Alive is proud to partner on this project to lead the Arts & Culture track. Our organization gathers thought leaders and creatives in the arts world to introduce their work and ideas. We intentionally focus on pairing large organizations with stories from folks creating grassroots community change.
Some highlights of ours include:
A speaker from Burning Man discussing how hosting a major international festival and stewarding public land could go hand in hand.
A storyteller and sound healer sharing the story of Clemmons Family Farm, a cultural community for folks who ended up in northern Vermont as a result of the ongoing African diaspora.
A representative of the loose-knit group of signmakers and mural artists, the Keene Walldogs, to speak about Keene’s 2019 mural makeover.
We've also had speakers from First People’s Fund, Springboard for the Arts, Americans for the Arts, National Foundation for the Arts, and Art of the Rural, New Hampshire Humanities, Out in the Open, Double Edge Theatre, and more!
Arts Alive believes that the arts bring people together. One of the ways we do this is by organizing interactive activities like collaborative songwriting. Arts Track attendees brainstormed lyrics and worked together to create a song, which was presented at the Livability SLAM for all to experience!
The Radically Rural Song:
“It's the long distance closeness,
It's the gleam in your eyes.
It's the dreams of deep roots,
under infinite skies.
It’s a feeling of hope,
embrace what you see.
That feeling of home,
it’s the best place to be.
It is the gravity that brings us home,
The awakening of my soul.
Hon-or-ing legacy,
welcoming all.
It’s a beautiful sight,
like the leaves in the fall.
It’s the grit that binds us, the truth that finds us--
Who knew you could have it all,
Who knew
rural could be radical?”
2020: Radically Rural Remote
Since 2020 Radically Rural has continued an option for online and virtual participation. The experience is certainly different than being in-person at the Keene, New Hampshire event, but it can still be educational. In the Arts Track, we strive to create opportunities for engagement with peers and presenters in various ways. During our 2020 event we danced together, wrote a play together, had small group conversations in breakout rooms, and more!
2021: Radically Rural Fully Hybrid Summit
We hosted Radically Rural just as Covid was making a comeback in the fall of 2021. We took immense precautions with masking, checking vaccine cards, and utilizing space that was large and open. We hand PLENTY of folks who joined us virtually, and a couple dozen Arts Track folks who joined in person.