Abstract

The Appalachian region in the southern Midwest has long been the source of stereotyping for dramatic and political effect. Through the course of nine years as a resident in an Appalachian community in south-central Kentucky, the author experienced life as it is lived by the local people. Through the establishment of an art education organization, the author became entwined with local families and became familiar with the origins of many of those stereotypes. Using autoethnography to interpret her experiences, through the lens of academic research, the author will confront the primary issues that surfaced: the acute designation of outsider status and the perception of the arts in underexposed communities. The goal of this analysis is to facilitate greater impact by arts organizations into rural populations.