Flagstaff is one of nine communities represented in the inaugural Arizona Creative Communities Institute, a learning program wherein diverse teams from Arizona cities, towns, and neighborhoods reimagine community assets and devise meaningful projects that place creative engagement, ethical and equitable practices, and local wisdom at the center.

Team Members & Collaborators

The list below includes persons affiliated with the team at any point in the 2+ year engagement:

Maddie Adams, Artist

Sarah Douthit, Chief Probation Officer, Coconino County Adult Probation

Elizabeth Dublinski, Domestic Violence Victim Advocate, Victim Witness Services for Coconino County

Rachael Farrier, Pre-Trial Officer, Coconino County Adult Probation

Stephanie Gerst, Probation Officer, Coconino County Adult Probation; Co-Owner, Creative Spirits Gallery

Mike Olson, Community Restitution Coordinator, Coconino County Adult Probation

Keli Openshaw, Senior Service Line Programs Developer, Flagstaff Medical Center; Co-Owner, Creative Spirits Gallery

Myra Strand, Former Director, Coconino County Victim Witness Services

About Flagstaff

Population: 73,964

“We live in a geographic wonder, which happens when you have elevation variations from 4000 feet [Sedona] to nearly 13,000 feet [Mt Humphrey’s]. What this creates is dynamic landscapes and dynamic people. Walk around Flagstaff on any given day and notice the level of physical fitness of our populace, which is not surprising given the access to mountain trails for bicycling and running, sheer cliffs for rock climbers, and endless summits for hikers. On the first Friday of every month our community comes to downtown Flagstaff to support our local artists, many of whom make the natural beauty of our area come to life with paintings and photographs of our red rocks, purple mountains, green forests, and sunsets that make the spectrum come to life.”

Mike Olson, AZ CCI Team Flagstaff

Project

A creative engagement process—uniting Coconino County Adult Probation staff and clients, artists, local business owners, and many other community stakeholders—culminating in a process built on dialogue, and putting artistic practice to work in a mural project that aimed to explore the qualities of healthy relationships, strengthen occupational skills, and foster a greater sense of community belonging.

Photos

AZ CCI: Flagstaff

Additional Information and Project Updates

Probation department unveils murals to reflect “culture change” | Arizona Daily Sun, February 11, 2020