We were lucky to catch up with Elisha Belden recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elisha , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Perhaps the most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on was the Walk of Arts. The Walk of Arts debuted in 2022 and was instantly a hit in our community. I live in a rural, sports-oriented community where there is limited access to arts-based events, education, etc. We launched the Walk of Arts to give the performing and visual arts kids something for themselves — something they could participate in and feel a connection to their community and their peers.
The event featured a sidewalk chalk competition for kids aged 5-18 and had over 30 vendors offering arts-based activities for the youths who either weren’t competing or had finished. We brought in professional celebrity tv artists (from Ink Master) to judge the competition and to meet with the young artists and give them encouragement and support. We also brought in the local high school’s glee club to open the concert portion of the event, with regional and national acts following. The headliner, national act Jennifer Paige, met with the group before she took the stage to offer words of encouragement for the young performers.
As a performing artist myself, it was hard growing up in a community that didn’t appreciate or support the arts – and it was hard to believe in my ability to make a living in this industry as I didn’t have access to people who had accomplished it themselves to learn from or look up to. Our non-profit, the Twistid Arts Initiative, seeks to change that — giving the performing and visual arts children in Citrus County the ability to engage with professional artists and to contribute/participate in activities that suit their skills and interests. The Walk of Arts is just one of our many avenues to do this, but it is our flagship event and holds a special place in my heart for that reason.
Hearing from parents after the event was really meaningful. The winners of the competition had been given over $4200 in high-end art supplies, and we received emails and photos after the event of art the winning children had created with their prize packs. The parents were thankful and the children were just so engaged and excited. We had only intended to do one year, but after the feedback we received, we decided to continue the event.
Elisha , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been in the performing and visual arts in one way or another for over 20 years. I’ve been a dancer, a choreographer, an actor, a singer, a set designer, makeup artist, costumer, and more. My husband is a trained digital artist and a professional tattoo artist who has worked in so many different facets of visual arts. When we launched our tattoo and art studio in 2017, we had a lot of feedback about how there was no money in the arts and that we were making a mistake.
Realizing that the starving artist myth was alive and well in our community, we decided to launch the Twistid Arts Initiative to help encourage, educate, and support other young visual and performing artists in our community. While a nonprofit was not in our current wheelhouse, we knew our passion and skill sets would help us accomplish what we needed to do. We’ve only been in operation for roughly about seven months and we already have a partnership with two city governments in our community, as well as the county and a state park. We’ve been making waves and really pushing the arts into the forefront of the community — and we’re so excited to see the changes that have been occurring in the young visual and performing artists in our area.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
For creativity to blossom, we need to have diversity. Diversity in our society, in our community, and in our activities. We need to allow creatives to grow, to find themselves, and to reach into their souls without fear or worry. I truly believe that we need to stop putting limitations on creatives. Let them grow, let them blossom, and let them be themselves!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My overall goal in my current journey is to encourage the next generation of visual and performing artists. If I can support, educate, and promote the young artists in our community and help them achieve the next steps in their career paths, I will have accomplished my goal! 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.twistidartsinitiative.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twistidartsinitiative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twistidartsinitiative
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elishabelden/