Caron Atlas has spent decades working to understand and improve the relationship between cities and the arts. As co-director of Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts New York, she advocates for the recognition of artistic activity throughout NYC.
Atlas argues in this Q+A with Satellite that the arts can be a powerful tool for social change, and that neighborhood-based cultural activity should receive more recognition and support from the municipal government.
"We can see in lots of communities that cultural spaces are often meeting spaces for more than just art. They’re part of social networks that people can draw on during hard times; they’re places where people who are different can come together in creative ways. People talk about how cultural activity saved their lives or gave their lives meaning. It’s one thing to survive—and New York can be a hard city to survive in—but arts and culture can get you beyond survival."
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