Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #228781 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Midwest Book Review
The 100 Best Small Art Towns In America: Where To Discover Creative Communities, Fresh Air, And Affordable Living profiles and ranks the top towns across the country with information on population, economics, real estate, climate, recreation, and local arts organizations. Included are quotes from local artists and extended profiles on ten towns. Criteria for selection as on of the 100 best small art towns include: location, quality of life, available cultural activities, the economic impact of the arts on each town, an active local arts agency, galleries, art festivals and the opinion of artists within each community. The 100 Best Small Towns In America also includes a bonus section on the very best spots in Canada!

Customer Reviews

great read but far from reality
I thought this book was a good read. Coming from canada we were not aware of all the many so- called arts towns in the usa. I sincerely doubt that the author has done any extensive research on the subject of moving and costs of living. The author also seems to have an extreme left wing bias. We have visited a number of these so- called arts towns. Many of them are either over- priced or in sad shape. I suggest mr. villani stay in the land of disenchantment new mexico, were his leftist , ideological view of the country can remain. Save your money , get it at the library.

Clueless
A friend of mine and I both recently read this book, and were dismayed at the places it did not include. I live near Kingston, NY, recently named one of the ten best places (of any size) in the US for artists to live, and near Woodstock, NY. Neither was mentioned by Villani. Kingston has become a great town for artists only recently, so the book is merely out of date with respect to Kingston, but Woodstock has been an artists' colony for a century. The air is great in Woodstock; though there is only a little affordable housing there, there is plenty in nearby villages.

Hot Springs, Ark., Definitely HOT for Art Lovers!
The key word in Villani's title is ART, and we've got plenty of it in Hot Springs. With over 27 non-profits directly related to the visual and performing arts, the author hits right on the money to concentrate on the Hot Springs Music Festival, held first two weeks of June every year; the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in October, one of four preliminary sites for the Academy Awards; and 200 consecutive monthly Gallery Walks in Historic Downtown. Affordable? We think so. Refreshing? Absolutely. For more information, see www.nativecuriosity.blogspot.com.