Patricia Shifferd

Patricia Shifferd is an independent consultant in research and evaluation to arts groups and communities. Formerly the vice president for community and education programs at American Composers Forum, she directed the community-based music commissioning project, Continental Harmony, a model of arts-based community development. Trained in sociology and anthropology, she received her PhD degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; her research and teaching interests have centered on community development, the role of the arts in society, sense of place, and the social aspects of environmental affairs.