  Visual representation of information is a fundamental tool for advancing our
understanding of science. It enables the research community to extract new
knowledge from complex datasets, and plays an equally vital role in
communicating new results across a spectrum of public audiences. Visualizations
which make research results accessible to the public have been popularized by
the press, and are used in formal education, informal learning settings, and
all aspects of lifelong learning. In particular, visualizations of astronomical
data (hereafter astrovisualization or astroviz) have broadly captured the human
imagination, and are in high demand.
  Astrovisualization practitioners need a wide variety of specialized skills
and expertise spanning multiple disciplines (art, science, technology). As
astrophysics research continues to evolve into a more data rich science,
astroviz is also evolving from artists conceptions to data-driven
visualizations, from two-dimensional images to three-dimensional prints,
requiring new skills for development. Currently astroviz practitioners are
spread throughout the country. Due to the specialized nature of the field there
are seldom enough practitioners at one location to form an effective research
group for the exchange of knowledge on best practices and new techniques.
Because of the increasing importance of visualization in modern astrophysics,
the fact that the astroviz community is small and spread out in disparate
locations, and the rapidly evolving nature of this field, we argue for the
creation and nurturing of an Astroviz Community of Practice.
  We first summarize our recommendations. We then describe the current make-up
of astrovisualization practitioners, give an overview of the audiences they
serve, and highlight technological considerations.
