What typifies participatory art projects in the countryside? A quantitative study of the rural-urban continuum of community-based art initiatives

As participatory art projects sprout from local communities, differences across the rural-urban continuum can be expected. Strong self-organisational capacity in tight-knit rural communities, the concentration of cultural facilities in urban areas, or context-specific issues such as gentrification or regional deprivation might play a role in where and in what form participatory art projects emerge. The scarcity of quantitative and rural studies on participatory art, however, leaves differences across the rural-urban continuum largely unexplored. This paper examines the prevalence, geographical distribution and characteristics of participatory art projects, zooming in on particularities of rural projects. Following the community model of Ruth Liepins, we understand community as people being involved in a complex dynamic of practices, spaces and meanings. We use this model to examine a database of 354 participatory art projects that took place in the Dutch province of Fryslân. We analyse the distribution of the projects across the rural-urban continuum, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results show that a rural context can be linked to an increased presence of participatory art initiatives. Besides, rural participatory art projects are more often performances, take place outdoors, or in improvised locations. Rural projects depend more on local networks, which is discussed both as a strength and a vulnerability. Differences in meanings across the rural-urban continuum were less clearly defined. As one of the few quantitative studies looking at rural participatory art projects across the rural-urban continuum, this paper aims to form an important contribution to understanding rural community involvement in participatory art projects. • Quantitative study that compares participatory art projects across the rural-urban continuum. • Rural contexts increase the likeliness of participatory art projects to be organised. • Rural participatory art projects often take place in outdoor settings. • Businesses and homes seem to function as temporary cultural facilities in rural areas. • Differences in topics of participatory art projects across the rural-urban continuum are less clearly defined.