Creative Vision Factory is a peer-run, nonprofit agency that provides studio and exhibition space to individuals on the behavioral health spectrum, an umbrella term that encompasses individuals with cognitive disabilities, psychiatric disorders, histories of substance abuse, and the homeless. Funded since 2011 by the State of Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, CVF is located in what is currently being called the arts and cultural district in Wilmington, Delaware, an area targeted for revitalization in a city that has come to national attention for high rates of poverty and drug-related violence. CVF has experienced a number of successes that suggest it as a model for community arts organizations: positive local media coverage, awards from state and city agencies, and recognition of specific artists by the broader art world. This paper, drawn from ethnographic research, identifies three bodies of thought that inform the organization and practice of CVF: the recovery movement, community organizing, and a radical arts tradition that traces its lineage to the early 20th century avant-garde. Special attention is given to the interaction between this philosophical foundation and the neoliberal principles undergirding the district’s gentrification.
About the presenterAnne E. Bowler
Anne Bowler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include the sociology of art, cultural theory, and gender.