WHAT IS GRIN CITY?
Grin City Collective is a brand new approach to art and community. Combining the concept of an artist residency with that of a volunteer corps, it creates a dialogue-rich, socially-driven creative community for everyone, regardless of age, degree, or experience. It seeks creatively-minded people interested in impacting a community through a variety of service projects. It seeks artists striving for a social context in which to place their art. It seeks non-artists committed to service work and looking for a space to explore their creative inclinations.
Grin City is a creative community that focuses on engagement with society and with each other. Built on a belief in interdisciplinary dialogue, Grin City brings together people from all walks of life to foster new types of creative thinking and social commitment. It transforms the traditional institution of "retreat" residencies. It transforms the way artists and social organizers approach creative ideas. It transforms the community.
A B.F.A or M.F.A is not required to join Grin City Collective. What you need is an interest to learn, work collaboratively, and most importantly impact a community.
Residents at Grin City live, work, and volunteer communally in and around Grinnell, Iowa. Residents are provided housing and workspace on the Grin City complex a 1/2 mile north of the town of Grinnell, Iowa. Up to ten people can be a part of Grin City Collective at any point in time.
The dedication to outreach sets Grin City Collective apart from other creative communities. Grin City doesn't focus on arts-related service work, although it does incorporate it. Instead it uses creative approaches to answer a much larger community need for things from local foods to re-shingled roofs. Examples of outreach include farming our all-natural vegetable garden; leading discussions in local prisons; teaching children's art, music, or dance workshops; hosting a community free meal; or socializing with the home-bound elderly. Outreach occurs both within the City of Grinnell and throughout rural Poweshiek and Jasper Counties.