This book describes the process and results of a 5 year arts initiative, Artists in Minnesota Schools and Communities (AMSC). Based on the premise that rural communities hold an undervalued wealth of artistic and cultural resources rarely tapped by schools, the project piloted a variety of models for integrating art in the educational experiences of students and community members. This document organizes the report of AMSC efforts into five parts. Part 1 introduces the founders and philosophic rationale for this initiative. Part 2 lays out the concepts and operations for selection, support, and evaluation of the 13 pilot sites. The selection sites provide a range of themes and approaches to project implementation. Part 3 presents the model projects by their themes."Artist/Teacher Collaborations" offers cooperative learning situations. "What We Cherish Here" defines and commemorates the values and uniqueness of community. "Cultural Sharing" focuses of pluralistic communities. "Interdisciplinary Education" and "Ways of Sharing Art" look at art roles in the larger educational and community arena. And "Healing Dreams" (in a unique school setting) reports on work in a hospice setting. Part 4 identifies project findings: (1) generalization of rural communities is inappropriate; (2) local artist participation is important to the community's ability to develop successful and lasting art education programs; (3) collaboration, working together toward a common goal; (4) inclusion, the incorporation of many voices, are key factors in planning and developing successful art education programs; (5) the level of local autonomy and degree of AMSC involvement must vary from site to site; and (6) continuation was identified as an area needing more developed strategies for support of future projects. Part 5: "Recommendations for the Future," completes the report. Appendixes are: "Table One: Summary of Project Information"; "Table Two: Summary of Project Budget Information"; "Map of Model Project Sites"; and a 50-item bibliography. (MM)