Theaster Gates: Artist as Catalyst for Community Development

by Laura Callanan, Jane Wei-Skillern, Prentice Onayemi
30 Jun 2014

The case study describes the work of Theaster Gates to revitalize the South Side of Chicago. As an independent philanthropist and artist, Gates has engaged in 'creative placemaking' to improve the predominantly African American neighborhood. Gates' pioneering activities are fueled by a strong belief in the transformative power of art and a personal commitment to make his neighborhood a place he wants to stay and live even when he can afford to leave. Gates' ability to straddle disparate worlds gives credibility to Gates' philosophy about the power of artists to be creative and change the world. The case study allows students to analyze and discuss what Gates' next steps should be and how he should successfully scale his efforts and organizations.

Learning Objectives

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Provide an example of a case study of a leader who is an artist and a social entrepreneur, who is leading an organization that must clarify its value proposition and operating model in order to scale successfully.

Details

Pub Date: Jun 29, 2014

Revision Date: Jun 30, 2014

Discipline: Social Enterprise

Subjects: Nonprofit organizations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Social issues, Corporate social responsibility, Growth strategy

Product #: B5815-PDF-ENG

Industry: Artists,Arts, entertainment & sports

Geography: United States, Illinois

Length: 26 page(s)