Rural Perspectives on Design
Location: Community Gallery
On Display: August 29th, 2025 - Ongoing
Guest Curator: Sierra Mack-Erb, applied design anthropologist
Rural Perspectives on Design is a multimedia research exhibit that democratizes access to design research, uplifts rural voices, and increases awareness of the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Housing Assistance Council. Curated by applied design anthropologist Sierra Mack-Erb, the exhibit combines photography, ethnographic interview quotes, and visual artifacts from the program’s 2023-2024 program cycle to paint a fuller picture of CIRD’s unique community-engaged design process and its relevance to rural communities. Co-developed with participating rural communities from 12 states and five regions of the U.S., the exhibit highlights rural perspectives on the utility and value of design in community and economic development contexts, affirming the transformative potential community-engaged design holds for rural communities across the country.
Check out the Research Project Behind the Exhibit