#RG20LookBack: Sunday Soup and the power of community support
In his 17th #RG20LookBack, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits Juliet Bennett Rylah’s 2010 story on the rise of community investment funding in the urban core.
Arts & Culture
Latest in Arts & Culture
#RG20LookBack: More than a real estate offer, revisiting the Westside’s Tip Top Deluxe
In his 16th #RG20LookBack, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits Nick Manes’ 2011 story on Tip Top, depicting the West Side bar as gritty, inviting and central to community life.
The Established Home mother-daughter designers launch children’s book to help families navigate life transitions
West Michigan design duo Jean Stoffer and her daughter, Grace Start, share a new children’s book offering families practical, faith-centered strategies to help children cope with moves and change.
#RG20LookBack: Beyond Record Store Day festivities, a real GR success story worth celebrating
In his 14th #RG20LookBack, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2013 story on Herm Baker, whose journey from Vinyl Solution to Vertigo Music reflects resilient innovation shaping Grand Rapids’ music culture.
What a former popular Detroit Chinese restaurant can still teach us about belonging and the power of third spaces
Curtis Chin’s memoir about growing up inside his family’s restaurant becomes something larger than nostalgia, offering a timely reminder that everyday places can help communities practice belonging across differences.
At GRPM, laughter joins the lesson in Betka-Pope’s Cretaceous Countdown
An after-hours trivia experience created in partnership with Betka-Pope Productions suggests another way a public museum can build belonging: by making room for play, conversation, and the awesome power of laughter.
#RG20LookBack: Music as infrastructure, talent retention, neighborhood identity, and the glue of community
In his 13th #RG20LookBack column, Rapid Growth publisher Tommy Allen reflects on the 2022 story by Enrique Olmos, which serves as a reminder that the region’s music economy is about more than entertainment.
#RG20LookBack: Hungry for community? Step out; mingle.
In his eleventh #RG20LookBack column, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2014 story, “The Vegan Kitchen Takeover: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill,” reflecting on how local restaurants can be spaces for connection and community.
Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus to mark 30 years with powerful Michigan premiere honoring civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray
The Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus, a 110-voice ensemble, presents the Michigan premiere of Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray, inviting the community to discover a civil rights trailblazer whose influence shapes discussions on justice, identity, and belonging.
#RG20LookBack: Power of art as a community convener
For his ninth #RG20LookBack, Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2013 story, written while he was Lifestyle Editor, about the Division Avenue Arts Collective’s eviction from Avenue for the Arts just days before its 10th anniversary.
#RG20LookBack: More than a real estate offer, revisiting the Westside’s Tip Top Deluxe
In his 16th #RG20LookBack, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits Nick Manes’ 2011 story on Tip Top, depicting the West Side bar as gritty, inviting and central to community life.
The Established Home mother-daughter designers launch children’s book to help families navigate life transitions
West Michigan design duo Jean Stoffer and her daughter, Grace Start, share a new children’s book offering families practical, faith-centered strategies to help children cope with moves and change.
#RG20LookBack: Beyond Record Store Day festivities, a real GR success story worth celebrating
In his 14th #RG20LookBack, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2013 story on Herm Baker, whose journey from Vinyl Solution to Vertigo Music reflects resilient innovation shaping Grand Rapids’ music culture.
What a former popular Detroit Chinese restaurant can still teach us about belonging and the power of third spaces
Curtis Chin’s memoir about growing up inside his family’s restaurant becomes something larger than nostalgia, offering a timely reminder that everyday places can help communities practice belonging across differences.
At GRPM, laughter joins the lesson in Betka-Pope’s Cretaceous Countdown
An after-hours trivia experience created in partnership with Betka-Pope Productions suggests another way a public museum can build belonging: by making room for play, conversation, and the awesome power of laughter.
#RG20LookBack: Music as infrastructure, talent retention, neighborhood identity, and the glue of community
In his 13th #RG20LookBack column, Rapid Growth publisher Tommy Allen reflects on the 2022 story by Enrique Olmos, which serves as a reminder that the region’s music economy is about more than entertainment.
#RG20LookBack: Hungry for community? Step out; mingle.
In his eleventh #RG20LookBack column, Rapid Growth Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2014 story, “The Vegan Kitchen Takeover: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill,” reflecting on how local restaurants can be spaces for connection and community.
Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus to mark 30 years with powerful Michigan premiere honoring civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray
The Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus, a 110-voice ensemble, presents the Michigan premiere of Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray, inviting the community to discover a civil rights trailblazer whose influence shapes discussions on justice, identity, and belonging.
#RG20LookBack: Power of art as a community convener
For his ninth #RG20LookBack, Publisher Tommy Allen revisits his 2013 story, written while he was Lifestyle Editor, about the Division Avenue Arts Collective’s eviction from Avenue for the Arts just days before its 10th anniversary.
