Ozark Vitality—a grassroots non-profit working at the intersection of the Ozarks and the Mississippi Delta in the eastern Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas—is building partnerships to create a better place to live, work and play. The non-profit resource agency engages a regional network of individuals and resources to help artists, craft makers and innovators in the Ozarks succeed as entrepreneurs. The journey began with a research project, funded by Delta Regional Authority (DRA).
In 2019, Ozark Vitality launched its Ozark Tourism Expansion Project (OTEP) in partnership with the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. OTEP uses digital media to introduce existing and potential visitors to the region’s many natural and cultural experiences, as well as unique artisan products. Among key tenets of its mission, Ozark Vitality strives to expand the tourism economy year-round and help build economic resilience in the smaller towns of the eastern Ozarks and the Mississippi Delta Region, especially those small towns hit by major floods in 2017. With OTEP, the non-profit brings accomplished filmmakers into the southeast Missouri Ozarks as part of its artist-in-residence program. Filmmakers, working hand-in-hand with Ozark Vitality and local stakeholders of many stripes, develop high quality short documentary films for the My Ozarks documentary film series. With their powerful videos, filmmakers and producers charm existing and potential visitors, bringing to light local people, places, and traditions. The My Ozarks documentary film series, to date, has revealed intimate portraits of five locals and their personal investments in the region’s powerful sense of place—from playing bluegrass music and “gigging for sucker” fish to recovering from epic floods and honoring the sacrifices of veterans. Each film that Ozark Vitality produces is also an opportunity to identify and develop local creatives to help build the area’s capabilities and reputation for high quality digital media production. Currently, Ozark Vitality recruits local volunteers to work with filmmakers and plans to secure funds in the future for paid digital media internships and apprenticeships for youth and young adults across the region. _____ Project Website: click here State: Arkansas and Missouri Category: Economic Development |