Department of Public Transformation

MISSION

The Department of Public Transformation is an artist-led organization that works to develop creative strategies for increased community connection, civic engagement, and equitable participation in rural places.

VISION

Our vision is one where rural communities across the country acknowledge, support, and integrate art and artists as vital contributors to economic, community, civic, and social life.

HOW WE WORK

We work nationally, regionally, and locally in ways that intertwine and grow. We believe that rural people and places have the answers they need to address community challenges, but economies of extraction and narratives of deficit have fragmented many of our communities. This prevents us from reimagining our rural spaces and sharing the knowledge, skills, and resources we have to dream and build an equitable and just future. We seek to support rural communities in identifying and leveraging resources through artist-led, creative, cross-disciplinary, and radically inclusive programs. We believe in celebrating rural culture and cultural workers by uplifting small-town stories and connecting people to each other and their places. In doing so, we are working to shift damaging dominant narratives of what it means to live and work in rural America.

CORE VALUES

• Accessible Play
  We believe play is an essential component of human connection to break down perceived barriers and make room for vulnerability; we utilize the power of play to ignite and inspire important connections, cultivate untapped creativity, and provide platforms for challenging conversations.
• Deep Compassion
  We believe in having deep compassion for the people and places that we work with; we meet people where they are at; we strive for critical self-awareness; we act as responsible stewards of the land and her stories.
• Reciprocal Exchange
  We believe that everyone has value to add; we view our work as a reciprocal exchange and not an extraction or dissemination of knowledge, skills or resources; we work with, not for; we work together, always. 
• Intentional Representation
  We believe in intentionally providing intergenerational opportunities for women, non-binary people, people of color, LGBTQ2IA+, New American, and Indigenous community members to work towards equal representation in artistic and civic leadership; we strive to compensate artists equitably for their work.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Build Trust
  We believe in leading with accountability to and for the people that we serve; we strive to move at the speed of trust.
• Prioritize Community Connections
  We believe in being good neighbors and bringing good times to connect with each other across differences.
• Cultivate Creativity
  We believe engaging our creativity leads to happier, fuller lives and more vibrant, welcoming communities. 
• Shift Narratives
  We believe that the story of rural communities must be told by people who live and work in rural communities; we believe geography must be considered in the national conversations around equity and access to resources; we believe rural-urban solidarity is vital to moving forward together.
• Lead with Love
  We believe in cultivating supportive, creative spaces and radically welcoming environments.

Learn more at publictransformation.org