On a crisp Saturday morning in early September, as Brooklyn’s galleries prepared for the first autumn openings, a quieter scene unfolded in Lansing, North Carolina. There, in a former textile mill, artists from around the country—several with Brooklyn or Queens roots—gathered for workshops and community dinners at the Lost Province Center for the Arts. Their goal: to breathe new life into a mountain town facing the challenges of rural decline.

While New York draws creative talent from every corner, this season has seen a growing current in the opposite direction. Several city-based artists who found themselves priced out of studios in Bushwick or Ridgewood are now splitting their time between New York and places like Lansing. They’re not just seeking lower rents; they’re joining rural revitalization efforts that rely on art as a catalyst for economic and cultural renewal.

Amanda Li, a sculptor who recently exhibited in Chelsea, spent her Labor Day weekend leading a ceramics class in the North Carolina highlands. “It’s not just about escaping New York,” she said on Thursday, after returning on the overnight bus to Port Authority. “It’s about building bridges between two communities that need each other—one for fresh perspective, the other for creative energy.”

This cross-pollination is more than a trend piece. It’s a sign of how New Yorkers are redefining their relationship to the city and its peripheries this fall. The Lost Province project has already inspired a handful of city-based collectives to explore partnerships with rural art centers, hoping to replicate the model closer to home—think upstate towns like Hudson, or even Long Island’s North Fork. The hope: that the city’s creative momentum can help fortify places whose identities, like New York’s, are in flux.

Back in Manhattan, curators are watching developments closely. “It’s not about leaving New York behind,” said Sofia Alvarez, program director at a Lower East Side nonprofit gallery. “It’s about exporting what makes the city tick—and maybe importing some of that small-town resilience right back.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Lost Province Center for the Arts and where is it located?

The Lost Province Center for the Arts is an arts retreat located in Lansing, North Carolina, housed in a former textile mill.

Why are New York City artists participating in small-town arts retreats?

New York City artists are joining small-town arts retreats to find affordable studio space and to contribute to rural revitalization through art.

Who is Amanda Li and what was her role at the Lost Province Center for the Arts?

Amanda Li is a sculptor who has exhibited in Chelsea and led a ceramics class at the Lost Province Center for the Arts over Labor Day weekend.

How are city-based artists maintaining ties to New York while engaging with rural art centers?

Many artists are splitting their time between New York and rural towns, participating in workshops and community events while keeping their city connections.

Are there plans to replicate the Lost Province model closer to New York City?

Yes, city-based collectives are exploring partnerships with rural art centers in upstate New York and Long Island to replicate the Lost Province model.

Editorial Transparency. A first draft of this story was produced with AI-assisted writing tools, then reviewed for accuracy and tone by the named editor before publication. More on our process: Editorial Policy.