Rapid growth has its benefits, but it can also have major downfalls. Kate Pett, the Executive Director of Thrive Asheville, joins us today to explain how her organization is helping her beloved community confront the latter. The lack of high paying jobs, low levels of social mobility, and increasing gentrification in Asheville are causing a decline in the diversity that is part of what makes this place so special. During this episode, Kate explains how Thrive is addressing the interlinked issues of affordable housing and sustainable tourism in order to preserve the arts-and-culture wonder that is Asheville. Complex problems like these require a lot of thoughtfulness to solve, and Kate’s long-term approach to community building through improving communication amongst all sectors is one that cities across the world can benefit from! Tune in today to learn more.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Major problems that artists in cities across the United States are currently facing.
• Comparing Asheville 20 years ago to Asheville today. 
• Kate explains the mission of her organization, Thrive Asheville.
• The importance of working across sectors in order to achieve community wide goals. 
• How Kate’s experience of working in the Peace Corps influenced the work she does today.
• Thrive’s approach to addressing the affordable housing issues in Asheville. 
• Various elements of the affordable housing provision that Thrive focuses on.
• The role that Thrive plays in enhancing sustainable tourism. 
• Thrive’s biggest challenge right now. 
• An overview of the year-long conversation that Thrive convened. 
• A new perspective on tourism. 
• The three elements that make Asheville a stand-out city!
• Kate’s thoughts on how tourism money coming into Asheville should be redirected.
• A run-through of a typical working day in the life of Kate Pett.
• Some of the people who are helping to bring Thrive’s mission to life. 
• A look at Thrive’s origin story.
• The complexity of tourism in Asheville, and how Thrive makes it work for city residents.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Thrive Asheville — https://www.thriveavl.org/ 

Kate Pett on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-pett-7b82aa7/ 

Artsville Podcast — https://artsville.captivate.fm/

Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.notarealartist.com/

Louise Glickman — https://www.louiseglickman.com/

Daryl Slaton — http://www.tailsofwhimsy.com/

Crewest Studio — https://creweststudio.com/

Sand Hill Artists Collective (SHAC) — https://sandhillartists.com/