134. Strategic + Artistic Community Development

What does it look like to enhance communities through art, partnership, and general change-making? Well, we can’t think of anyone better than Maggie Strong to talk to about it. Maggie loves to work with communities to spur the change they know they need, and do so in a way that makes communities better and more beautiful for all.    About Maggie:   Maggie Strong is a community builder. She founded Strong Consulting in 2016 to help organizations and communities think creatively and act strategically. A former economic development vice president and marketing executive, Maggie has 20 years of experience in strategic planning, communications, and public engagement. She gets excited about people and data and how combining the two can empower and position communities to achieve real change with lasting impact. Maggie works with civic and nonprofit clients to research, develop, facilitate, and implement strategic plans, assessments, and communication plans. She coaches community leaders, nonprofit executives, and their governing boards on how to be more effective and impactful. Maggie brings authenticity, humor, and urgency to her work and a deep respect for all people.   Maggie holds a bachelor's degree in arts management and a master's degree in business administration, both from Quincy University. She is an expert facilitator, trained in the McNellis Compression Planning® methodology, and is certified in Nonprofit Board Consulting through BoardSource. She is a lifelong learner, pursuing her certification as an AI Consultant for Nonprofits. She has served on several nonprofit boards primarily for organizations with missions focused on young people and the arts. Maggie and her husband, Aaron, spend their time raising their kind and courageous kids, Alex, Charlie, and Cecilia, and renovating their beloved 100-year-old bungalow in their hometown of Quincy, Illinois.     In this episode, we cover:  Why art is so valuable for small towns How to embrace the subjective nature of art (and other things) for small-town development What it means to “Be the Change” in small towns Why we don’t have to personally love something in order to recognize its value The power of partnership Links and Resources Mentioned: www.MaggieStrong.com (Under construction, but the new website should be up soon!) https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiestrong/ https://www.facebook.com/strongconsultingquincy