On August 31, 2015, President Obama announced that the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation(JMMF) was one of six organizations selected to participate in the ArtPlace America Community Development Investments (CDI) program. The CDI program is a one-time grant program in which JMMF will receive $3 million to incorporate arts and cultural strategies into its core work over the course of three years.
JMMF realizes that there is a need to shift away from the notion of “artist as outsider” to “artist as neighbor” when looking at who contributes to the realization of community goals in the evolution of place-based communities. This means having arts and culture alongside sectors like housing, transportation and public safety, when coordinating efforts around myriad outcomes, such as resiliency, economic development, open space, public health and youth opportunities.

In efforts to bridge the gap between arts, culture and comprehensive community planning and development, JMMF hosted a community forum with panel discussion in October of 2015. This forum marked the beginning of the process, in which JMMF and potential partners began discussion on strategizing around potential opportunities while continuing with its mission.

Visit artplaceamerica.org to learn more about ArtPlace America and its programs.