"Using interviews with artists, instructors and community leaders as well as esays, photos, art pieces, and poetry, the editors explore more than two decades of how the lack of neighborhood cultural spaces adversely affects struggling families and communites - and how community-based arts expression, production and presentation inspired a cultural awekening and a revival of the imagination and spirit that also helped revitalize an economy as well as personal and social empowerment."--P. [4] of cover.