Arts & Creativity: The February 2012 Essential Class Day

Guest blog post by Essential 2012 Class member Meredith Powell, following her participation in the February Essential Class session that focused on Arts and Creativity.

----

Essential Arts and Creative Day Panel Speakers

According to a recent GOOD web site report, in a survey conducted by IBM last year, 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the number one “competitive edge" of the future. And Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently wrote that dance, music, theater, and visual arts "are essential to preparing our nation's young people for a global economy fueled by innovation and creativity.”


In short, I look at it like this: art > creativity > innovation > progress. And, progress we must as a community, as a nation, as a world, as humanity.

The February Essential 2012 Arts and Creativity Day was jam-packed with information representing a myriad of passionate perspectives ranging from arts advocacy and education to established artists, producers, city leadership and our youth. Much like the day unfolded, the venue showcased our history, acknowledged our present and celebrated the possibilities of our future. And the Scottish Rite Theater was ripe for rediscovery.

Good news on the numbers front: Economic data is finally proving a correlation between arts, creativity and economic success. A few key resources compiled and analyzed by Texas Perspectives, Inc:

• City of Austin’s Creative Sector Impact

• State of Texas Economic Report via Texas Cultural Trust

Robert Faires, a tireless advocate and invaluable asset, asked us to think of art as live, as experience, as energy. I like that. I like that because when you start to look around, when you start to notice art and creativity is all around you, you begin to seek it. You begin to value the differences all around you.

It also resonates because for art and creativity to be sustainable and adaptable particularly as economic models shift, it is at least as equally important to have demand for the work being produced as it is to support the infrastructure that helps make the work possible. It is on this exchange we must equally focus our attention when articulating the value and necessity of nurturing art and creativity.

For me, the most inspired moments were the involvement of Graham Reynolds, observing the brilliance of Brent Hasty and hearing the raw truth from the youth perspective on art in Austin moderated by Emily Marks. Connecting directly with artists is critical to the conversation. In these moments, minds opened. And of course, I always enjoy spending time with peers and partners.

Leadership Austin usually provides a stimulating break from my every day, an opportunity to learn about the issues we’re facing as a whole and inspires my mind to envision how my work in the arts can affect the change we’re responsible for leading—particularly across the sectors of which I’m less familiar. I complete the class exhausted but energized, informed yet curious.

It is my hope that my classmates completed the day informed, yes, but more importantly, energized with a curiosity to seek out and nurture creativity in the every day. We are responsible for Austin’s progress, for strengthening our position as a leading city of the 21st century — and creativity is at the heart of solving the complex problems we face today. Socially and economically, creativity provides a mechanism for innovation. It’s so simple. Who knew our progress started with art?

Essential Class 2012 member Meredith Powell is the executive director of Art Alliance Austin. Each year, 55 people representing the diversity of Central Texas are selected to participate in the Leadership Austin Essential Class. The curriculum focuses on regional issues, leadership skills, and the building of strong networks to encourage innovative, collaborative solutions to the region's challenges.

Collaboration and the Creative Arts

Guest post from Essential 2010 graduate and Engage attendee Karen LaShelle.
-----

Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of attending Leadership Austin’s Engage breakfast discussing the capacity of the creative arts in Austin. As the director of a local nonprofit arts organization, Theatre Action Project, and someone who has been involved with a number of initiatives to research and plan for the sustainability and growth of the creative sector, it was a truly fascinating discussion. And, I was pleased to see such a packed house at 7:30 am!

The conversation began with a great question by moderator Leslie Rhode to kickoff the discussion: “Does the arts community have the support it needs to grow as Austin grows?” Panelists discussed the various and typical barriers to growth for local arts organizations, such as low attendance and weak philanthropy. It seems we artistic folks discuss these predicaments at every gathering when brainstorming how to save the arts... yet, it doesn’t seem like these problems are going away any time soon. But then a new idea emerged that seemed to offer tangible possibilities for sustaining the arts in Austin: focus on collaboration.

What are the untapped opportunities for creating partnerships between the arts and the business sector? The truth is that the arts community and the business sector NEED each other, and perhaps neither legion locally has quite realized this yet. Arts organizations need funding and patrons, and arts leaders could benefit from the help of savvy business professionals. Businesses need Austin to maintain its cultural life and to produce an innovative, critically-thinking workforce... plus, they need venues to market their brand! The arts are undeniably a critical part of what makes Austin alluring to young talent from across the country, and the arts and arts education are foundational to fueling innovation, creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit. If this potentially symbiotic - and mostly untapped - relationship between these two sectors can be fully articulated and carried out by arts and business leaders, the arts community can grow and thrive AND business will prosper, too. Long Center ED Jamie Grant offered, "we need to think of these as business to business relationships that are about marketing opportunities, not philanthropy," which seems like the heart of it. Arts orgs can’t ask for money just because we know the arts are important. We need to help businesses see how we can help them, too.

Refocusing some (we won’t give up on expanding the audience and donor base, too!) of our efforts towards collaborations seems like a critical step in sustainability. I know that this was certainly an “A-Ha” moment for me. I plan to spend time thinking about the mutually beneficial goals Theatre Action Project can discover with local businesses. As we reach youth and families in seven school districts every week with our dynamic arts programs, we might just have something to offer businesses who want to reach a new audience.

Karen LaShelle is Executive and Artistic Director at Theatre Action Project.

November 2011 Engage - Austin's Creative Arts Capacity

It was a lively discussion around the creative arts this morning at the second Engage breakfast in our ongoing ATXpansion series. Panelists Elisbeth Challener (ZACH Theatre), Robert Faires (Austin Chronicle), Jamie Grant (The Long Center), and Rupert Reyes (Teatro Vivo), discussed the "growing" concerns and opportunities facing the arts and creative sector in Austin. Given our current growth trajectory and recent arts-organization struggles, does Austin have the infrastructure, working artists, and leadership needed to keep pace?

UPDATE: Read a recap of the event from Andrea Leptinsky of Community Impact News, and see the evening news coverage from KXAN.

November Engage panelists in the Long Center's Rollins Theatre

Moderator Leslie Rhode of KXAN kicked things off with a question about what attendees considered to be the biggest challenge facing the Austin arts community. In our live, interactive poll, an overwhelming 60 percent said financial support. Other polling results are below, along with references from the discussion and the audio podcast. What did you think of the program? What are your next steps for taking a leading role in this important aspect of Austin's unique culture? Leave a comment and let us know!

Thanks again to our Presenting Partner, Capital One Bank, and special thanks to our program partners, The Long Center for the Performing Arts, KXAN News, and Sterling Affairs Catering and Events!

References from the discussion:

• ZACH Theatre
• Robert Faires Columns at the The Austin Chronicle
• The Long Center for the Performing Arts
• Teatro Vivo
• The Better Halves
• Create Austin: Austin's Community Cultural Plan
• Austin Creative Alliance
• Theatre Action Project
• ZACH Theatre's Youth Programs
• mindPOP

Audio:

Download this audio file (MP3)

Subscribe to the Leadership Austin Podcast via iTunes

Live polling results:

March 2011 Engage - Artistic Innovation

Austin is renowned for its arts - from music and film to performing and visual - yet artistic talent doesn’t always stay in Austin due to what some critics call a lack of arts “infrastructure.” What draws the big names to Austin but sends the small ones packing? Join us as local artists share their experiences and suggestions for keeping Ausitn’s arts scene alive.

Jim Butler, Robert Faires, and Sara Hickman

Speakers:

• Jim Butler – Creative Industries Development Manager, City of Austin
• Robert Faires – Arts Editor, The Austin Chronicle
• Sara Hickman - Singer/Songwriter; 2010 Texas State Musician
• Moderated by Jim Walker – Director of Sustainability, The University of Texas at Austin

References from the discussion:

• City of Austin Creative Industries Loan Guarantee Program
• The Austin Chronicle
• Sara Hickman homepage
• Theatre Action Project

Audio:

Download this audio file (MP3)

Subscribe to the Leadership Austin Podcast via iTunes

Live polling results:

May 2010 Engage - Austin's Arts Infrastructure

As arts organizations across the nation are struggling through tough times, what does Austin’s burgeoning arts scene need to turn the corner? What are the municipal efforts to create an environment that encourages performing and visual arts as a vibrant part of our city? Do local arts organizations feel sustained by the community at large?

Kathy Panoff, Lisa Byrd, Cookie Ruiz, and Jim Walker

Speakers:

• Lisa Byrd – Executive Director, ProArts Collective
• Kathy Panoff – Executive Director, Texas Performing Arts
• Cookie Ruiz - Executive Director, Ballet Austin
• Moderated by Jim Walker – Director of Sustainability, The University of Texas at Austin

References from the discussion:

• ProArts Collective
• Texas Performing Arts
• Ballet Austin
• CreateAustin: Austin's Community Cultural Plan
• Austin's African-American Cultural Heritage District
• The Trash Project from Allison Orr and Forklift Danceworks

Audio:

Download this audio file (MP3)

Subscribe to the Leadership Austin Podcast via iTunes

February 2009 Engage - Emerging Economies

In the past few years Austin has witnessed - and continues to experience - a modern day entertainment boom, with a tripling of restaurants and clubs, multiple micro-districts (SoCo, The Triangle, the Warehouse District), etc. Former “glamour” industries like film, music, and art are being joined by food, fashion, and nightlife. With the rise of this creative class, to what extent are these forces viable and sustainable micro-economies that will support Austin through the downturn and beyond? What are the genuine economic factors that affect these micro-economies and, in turn, what can Central Texans do to support them – beyond going out at night?

John Hockenyos, Michael Barnes, and Jim Walker

Speakers:

• Michael Barnes – Social Columnist, Austin American-Statesman
• Jon Hockenyos – President, TXP
• Moderated by Jim Walker – Executive Director, Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project

References from the discussion:

• Austin American-Statesman
• TXP
• Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project
• Create Austin: Austin's cultural community plan
• Michael Barnes's 'Out and About" blog event reacp

Audio:

Download this audio file (MP3)

Subscribe to the Leadership Austin Podcast via iTunes