Symbiotic Relationships:
Understanding Visionary Art Environments & Their Impact on the Communities Around Them

Graduate Thesis Abstract: Visionary Art Environments are everywhere, but their importance is not recognized among the public, which threatens their survival. This thesis focuses on proving the impact of Visionary Art Environments in the communities around them, while also exploring ways to represent and involve them. It begins with the exploration of case studies and interviews with key members of these spaces and the community advocates. With their support and guidance, surveys were implemented to gather information directly from the neighborhood residents and businesses, culminating in interpretive materials that can have the potential to be used in broad ways and reach out to more people in the community. By working together to create nurtured symbiotic relationships, these spaces and their communities can produce a myriad of benefits and create an ecosystem of positive impact for everyone involved.