Project Update

The Creative Industries Task Force met at the end of October 2009 and we'd like to update the community on the status of our work to date.

As noted in our first update in June, the Task Force has been working to answer the question, "would the Whitewater Valley area benefit from the existence of a central support organization to promote the arts and culture of our communities?" Of course, there are lots of related questions that come with this: is there a viable funding model that doesn't diminish funding sources already in use by existing arts organizations? Where will the organization be housed, and how will it be structured and staffed? And so on.

We're happy to report that as we've met and talked with arts organizations, economic development leaders, and community members, the concept of an arts council has been embraced and supported widely. This support has given us the incentive to dive into the specific operational questions like the ones above, and so details like creating bylaws, establish a budget for the first few years, and creating equipment lists are all being finalized.

We continue to be keenly aware of the unique concern that existing arts organizations may have about "yet another" arts organization entering the mix, and so we can't emphasize enough that this new organization would not be competing with those entities for funding - it would be sustained through the use of funding sources not already tapped, and (we think) bring great benefit to the community accordingly.

Our current hope and plan is that this new organization can be up and running by the Summer of 2010. We have a lot of work ahead of us before then, and we always invite your feedback and participation in that process - from helping us flesh out the organizational structure to connecting us with potential office spaces, and everything in between. If you have suggestions, questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact Len Clark or any of the other Task Force members.

* Len Clark
* Angie Dickman
* Shaun Dingwerth
* Shane Eddington
* Bob Hansen
* Chris Hardie
* Rachel Hughes
* Lynn Knight
* Ed Thornburg

Proposed statement of mission and goals

Community members,

Here is the first document we offer for your perusal and comment, from the task force work so far this summer. It is a proposed statement of mission and goals for the proposed new arts and culture support organization.

You'll note that we have adopted as a working name for the new organization, Whitewater Valley Arts Fusion. Why that name? First, we wanted to build on the cooperation already begun by the Richmond group also called Arts Fusion. It is a composed of representatives of several major arts and culture organizations. Several members of that group, including its chair, serve on our task force, and the other members have been consulted about the overlapping name. Second, we wanted a name that would underscore the importance of regional thinking, because arts and culture activity that enriches our community is not limited by city or county lines.

We're eager to have your feedback and suggestions as planning proceeds.

Len Clark

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Name -- Whitewater Valley Arts Fusion

Mission

To nurture the region’s vibrant arts, culture, and creative industries.

Goals

1. Goal -- Promote area arts and culture organizations and individuals to reach all demographics of our population.

Objectives

• 1.a. Develop Arts Fusion brand (likely using current as a base)


• 1.b. Develop website, using Arts Fusion site as a base


• 1.c. Develop common calendar and strive to become “official” calendar


• 1.d. Add events among other area calendars (i.e., Pal-Item, Waynet, city websites in region), striving to automatically populate from our calendar and/or encourage other calendars to link/populate from our.


• 1.e. Write frequent press releases, if organizations support, to announce events, activities, grants, etc.


• 1.f. Create educational and social events to communicate the arts and cultural organizations and constituencies to new members of community.

2. Goal -- Enhance financial support and stability for regional organizations

Objectives

• 2.a. Research grant availability


• 2.b. Apply for grants, in cooperation with recipient organizations


• 2.c. Manage awarded grants, where recipient organizations need


• 2.d. Seek funding from area’s larger employers and key individuals


• 2.e. Develop financial metrics to demonstrate success/failure of organization

3. Goal -- Actively advocate for public resources and funds

Objectives

• 3.a. Monitor proposed local, state, and federal legislation that will affect arts and culture


• 3.b. Formally and directly comment on the proposed legislation


• 3.c. Communicate proposed legislative changes to key constituents with a “call to action” for those constituents.


• 3.d. Actively attend and represent our area at legislative and advocacy events for arts and culture.

4. Goal – Provide technical support for and encourage cooperation among area arts and cultural constituencies.

Objectives

• 4.a. Develop resource list in areas such as website development, supplies, legal expertise, accounting/financial expertise, marketing, personnel management.


• 4.b. Create or enhance mechanism(s) for communication and sharing between organizations.


• 4.c. Create mechanism/process to match organizations’ volunteer and board member needs with interested and capable individuals.


• 4.d. Provide consulting and/or research assistance to assist area individuals and organizations with issues and ideas.

Welcome to the Task Force blog!

Welcome to the blog for the Creative Industries Task Force in Richmond and Wayne County, Indiana. This space will be used to post informal updates from the group, and will be one channel through which we can receive the input and feedback about our efforts from the wider community.

Task Force Mission and History

The mission of the Task Force is to envision, and plan for, a central support organization for the arts and culture of our community, to develop a viable and sustainable business plan, and to seek financial support to start such an organization. The group arose out of a process that started in 2008 as the Citizens Advisory Council for Comprehensive Planning asked Lynn Knight and Len Clark to consider forming an organization to support arts and culture in the area.

A feasibility study was conducted, including interviews with various people invested in creative industries here; the directors or board chairs of a number of arts organizations, several elected city and county officials, several heads of both business and not-for-profit organizations that recruit nationally for professionals, and a number of other community leaders and patrons of the arts. In March 2009, Lynn and Len announced that they had found broad and enthusiastic support for designing and promoting a central organization for arts and culture support in our community. While cautioned by the current economic situation, interviewees urged us not to be overly timid or discouraged. Several suggested that even if the timetable is affected by the recession, our community’s aspirations should not be. As a result, the Creative Industries Task Force was created, and began meeting in June. (If you're interested in receiving a copy of the full findings of that study, please contact Len Clark.)

Task Force Members

The current members of the group are:

• Len Clark
• Angie Dickman
• Shaun Dingwerth
• Bob Hansen
• Chris Hardie
• Rachel Hughes
• Lynn Knight
• Amy Noe
• Ed Thornburg