On Wednesday, April 30, over 20 artists gathered into Café Cimino’s beautiful “Little Dishes” bar by the Elk River (www.cafeciminocountryinn.com) to provide feedback and support for the 2nd Annual Create WV Conference.
Originally, we weren’t sure how many folks would really want to take time out of their week to spend an afternoon doing this, but this turned out to be a pleasant misperception on our part. We ended up with a waiting list of interested parties, and participants represented writers, performing arts, blacksmithing, furniture making, stylists, photographers, glass bead makers, handmade wood products, potters, and basket makers.
What did we learn? The meeting was designed to give working artists a chance to share their needs, desires and ideas for contributing to the conference………….and did they ever!
· Create WV is growing as an important expanded networking opportunity for working artists, not only to connect with one another, but also to connect with other professionals in creative community efforts, like education and technology.
· “Quality of place” is hugely important to this community.
· Diversifying the state’s economy is critical.
· Advocacy for music, poetry, theater, and other arts in public education is a significant need.
· This is not a battle for our state’s future well-being, it is a war. Commitment to long-term change takes consistent effort and time.
· The concept of ONE point of entry for artists and other creatives in West Virginia to promote their work and to link up with one another as well as potential buyers remains an unmet need. (Note: since my initial encounter with the Industry of Culture initiative 4 years ago, and no doubt before then, the articulated need for ONE website providing access to all WV working artists and ONE complete WV arts calendar has been ongoing.)
· Reaching out to young people for meaningful community involvement in the arts is essential.
· Artists don’t want to be segmented at conference, they want to be integrated with all participants while also having their unique voices heard.
· Artists are willing to work with conference planners to help design fundraising strategies to provide dollars to augment their ability to cover the costs of attending conference.
· Getting the word out through new communication portals will be important this year. The group is willing to help conference planners find new points of entry into communities to help explain Create WV as well as to promote the conference.
These are just a few of the things we talked about. The passion for West Virginia is very real, as is the willingness to fight for the creative communities that will be the future of our state. We truly look forward to working with this group of Art Warriors to grow their numbers and influence, both locally and statewide!
Special thanks to meeting planners Cheryl Hartley, Jeff Miller, Betty Rivard, and Kris Lett for their commitment to Create WV and to the arts.
Posted by Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher
Photographs by Kristopher D. Lett
www.kdlett.com
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