Ash led a breakout session, “Falling in Love with Rural Places,” inviting participants to reconnect with the stories, relationships, and sense of belonging that make rural communities so vital.
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On Saturday, April 25th, 2026 DoPT celebrated a huge milestone: the official Grand Opening of The YES! House! And, what a celebration it was!
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Department of Public Transformation is collaborating with Virginia Commission for the Arts, Randolph College, and Small Town Big Arts to launch the Virginia Small Town and Rural Arts (SARA) network pilot!
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Rocky Casillas Aguirre participated in the 2022–2023 Ignite Rural Artist Residency program which supported the publication of his first comic book, Twitch and The Mystic Weenie.
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Activate Rural Storytelling Project: Rusty Rock Community Guild
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Activate Rural Storytelling Project: Manoomin Arts Initiative
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Activate Rural Storytelling Project: Bauman Hall Arts
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As part of the evolving support offered through Department of Public Transformation’s Ignite Rural network, the introduction of DIY Artist Residencies at The YES! House creates new space for alumni artists to reconnect with their practice on their own terms.
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Activate Rural team road tripped through mountain passes and small towns between Missoula, Helena, and Butte, connecting with leaders and artists, and visiting local creative places.
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“Let the Light In” highlights how openness and vulnerability invite clarity, connection, and transformation. Even in difficult moments, choosing to let light in can spark renewal and meaningful change.
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Activate Rural Storytelling Project: Spring Grove Cinema
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In this first episode of the 2026 Beyond the Clock (BTC) season, Anna and Ash are joined by Nikiko Masumoto, this year’s BTC Resident Artist, farmer, and memory keeper who invites us to explore memory as a living practice. In this episode, we reflect on the quiet rituals (personal and public) that carry culture forward and how, across rural communities, artists and cultural workers are tending something essential: memory and imagination.
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Ignite Rural: Where Are They Now? is a storytelling series featuring alumni of the Ignite Rural Artist Residency, capturing a snapshot in time of what they’ve been up to since completing their residency. Leticia’s interview was conducted in Autumn 2025.
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Ignite Rural: Where Are They Now? is a storytelling series featuring alumni of the Ignite Rural Artist Residency, capturing a snapshot in time of what they’ve been up to since completing their residency. Andrea’s interview was conducted in Autumn 2025.
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DoPT hosted in-person and virtual end-of-year holiday parties for our friends in urban and rural Minnesota, and further afield!
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Beyond the Clock Resident Artist Eliza Blue reflects on November 2025’s Beyond the Clock with Kyle Mesteth.
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DoPT's CEO, Ash Hanson, was honored to be one of the invited guests brought together by the Academy's Local Democracy Working Group.
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Beyond the Clock Resident Artist Eliza Blue reflects on September 2025’s Beyond the Clock with Viktor le. Givens
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In October 2025, Ignite Rural Program Director Holly Doll and Creative Executive Officer Ash Hanson presented at the 2025 Grantmakers in the Arts Conference in Minneapolis, MN.
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Activate Rural’s first virtual Summit brought together creative third place leaders, organizers, artists, business owners from across the state of Minnesota and the country over three days of insight, inspiration and connection.
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