ARTSNOW
175 SOUTH MAIN STREET SUITE 100, AKRON, OH 44308 www.artsnow.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: ARTSNOW STRENGTHENS SUMMIT COUNTY BY ADVANCING ITS ARTS & CULTURE ASSETS AND BUILDING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ARTS & CULTURE AND THE BROAD COMMUNITY. ARTSNOW: -PROVIDES RESIDENTS OF SUMMIT COUNTY ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIVERSE ARTS & CULTURE OFFERINGS AVAILABLE IN SUMMIT COUNTY. -AGGREGATES AND ANALYZES DATA ABOUT ARTS & CULTURE TO DRIVE SECTOR IMPROVEMENT. -ADVOCATES FOR ARTS & CULTURE ACROSS THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT SECTORS. -CONVENES AND CONNECTS MAKERS AND PRESENTERS TO STRENGTHEN THE SECTOR'S IMPACT AND RELEVANCE. -BUILDS AND STRENGTHENS FUNDING FOR ARTS & CULTURE. IN FY19, ARTSNOW FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: 1.)CONTINUATION AND COMPLETION OF AKRON CULTURAL PLAN 2.)DEVELOP AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF AKRON CULTURAL PLAN 3.)PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES (AND ADAPTATION RELATIVE TO COVID-19)

AKRON CULTURAL PLAN IN 2019, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY, AKRON ENGAGED IN A CITYWIDE CULTURAL PLANNING PROCESS WITH GOALS TO STRENGTHEN THE CITY, ADVANCE CULTURAL DIVERSITY, INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE CULTURE, AND PROVIDE VIBRANT EXPERIENCES FOR ALL AKRON RESIDENTS. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A 31-MEMBER STEERING COMMITTEE (ATTACHED), THE CULTURAL PLANNING PROCESS BEGAN WITH PRIVATE RESOURCES FROM GAR FOUNDATION AND KNIGHT FOUNDATION TO FUND THE WORK WITH CITY LEADERS, ARTISTS, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, NATIONAL EXPERTS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS AKRON'S 24 NEIGHBORHOODS. TOGETHER, AKRON RESIDENTS SET A NEW STANDARD FOR INCLUSIVE, COLLABORATIVE PLANNING. TOGETHER, WE EVALUATED EXISTING RESOURCES AND EXAMINED THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF AKRON COMMUNITY MEMBERS-WITH HUNDREDS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS AKRON NEIGHBORHOODS TO GIVE IDEAS, PERSPECTIVES, AND FEEDBACK. TOGETHER, THE AKRON COMMUNITY CRAFTED THE COLLECTIVE CULTURAL PLAN-A LIVING DOCUMENT OUTLINING 10 KEY PRIORITIES-TO EXAMINE AND STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE EXPLORATION OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, CULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND HERITAGE. KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1.INCLUSIVE, COLLABORATIVE PLANNING -HUNDREDS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS AKRON NEIGHBORHOODS TO GIVE IDEAS, PERSPECTIVES, AND FEEDBACK -639 TOTAL HOURS OF COMMUNITY LISTENING AND FIVE (5) ROUNDS OF PUBLIC REVIEW 2.TEN COMMUNITY PRIORITIES -ONE PRIORITY IS ALREADY ENACTING LOCAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGE. AKRON CITY COUNCIL HAS CREATED A CITYWIDE PUBLIC ART PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES EQUITABLE SELECTION PROCESSES, A COMMISSION MADE-UP OF RESIDENTS, RESPONSIBLE MAINTENANCE, AND A FUNDING SOURCE. (1% TIF) -97% OF AKRONITES SAID THAT EQUITY IS VITAL TO A HEALTHY ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR -THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OWNS THIS WORK. THEY HELPED CREATE IT AND EVERYONE CAN HELP ADVANCE THE WORK. FROM STUDENTS TO NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS TO NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS TO PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES AND BACKGROUNDS. -"THIS IS OUR PLAN, AKRON." 3.A CALL TO ACTION -ARTSNOW AND THE CITY OF AKRON HAVE AN ONGOING SPREADSHEET OF SUCCESSES AND ITEMS COMPLETED. AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR, THEY WILL PUT OUT A REPORT SHARING THE WORK OF THE PAST AND IDENTIFYING WHAT WILL BE DONE IN THE YEAR AHEAD. -RESOURCE LEADERS, KEY CHANGE MAKERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE ALREADY IDENTIFIED, AND MORE ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE PLAN.

DEVELOP AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF AKRON CULTURAL PLAN OVERVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR FY20-FY22 ARTSNOW SEEKS CAPACITY TO ADVANCE AND IMPLEMENT THE CULTURAL PLAN FOR AKRON. ARTSNOW WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING DURING THE FIRST 12-18 MONTHS. STEWARDSHIP AND STRUCTURE ARTSNOW WILL: -DEMONSTRATE SUCCESS THROUGH AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AND A "YEAR IN REVIEW" WHICH SHOWCASES SUCCESSES OF THE AKRON COMMUNITY IN ADVANCING THE CULTURAL PLAN. (THIS WILL INCLUDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND BUSINESSES TO SHARE HOW THEY ARE DRIVING OUR COLLECTIVE ACTION AND PRIORITIES.) -FACILITATE AND CONVENE CONVERSATION AMONG PARTNERS, RESIDENTS, AND ORGANIZATIONS ADVANCING THE PRIORITIES OF ACP. WE ARE PROPOSING: -MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH CITY OF AKRON STAFF (POTENTIALLY MORE OFTEN UNTIL THE COMMISSION IS FULLY RESOURCED AND BROUGHT UP TO SPEED.) -QUARTERLY PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS (IDENTIFIED AND SELF-IDENTIFIED PARTNERS) -ANNUAL "STATE OF THE ARTS" PRESENTATION FOR TRANSPARENT REVIEW OF YEAR IN REVIEW AND ACTION PLAN FOR UPCOMING YEAR. -ANNUAL COMMUNITY-WIDE MEETING WHERE THE FULL COMMUNITY IS INVITED INTO THOUGHTFULLY FACILITATED TABLE DISCUSSIONS. -ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WORK TO ADVANCE AND EXPLORE OR IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES. -ENSURE WEBSITES ARE KEPT CURRENT SO PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS. -DEVELOP TEMPLATES THAT ORGANIZATIONS, INDIVIDUALS, CENTERS OF FAITH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, AND MORE CAN USE TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN ACTION PLAN. -WORK WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL MEDIA AND INFLUENCERS AS APPROPRIATE IN SHARING SUCCESS STORIES. -SHARE SUCCESS STORIES, NEWS FROM PARTNERS WORKING ON PRIORITIES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORK OF ACP VIA THE ARTSNOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNITY E-NEWSLETTER. CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION WORK STARTED IN FY20 -BLACK ARTIST GUILD -PLAN FOR PUBLIC ART -PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS AS ENTREPRENEURS, FOR-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE BUSINESS, AND NONPROFITS OF ALL SIZES -DEVELOPMENT OF LEGISLATION AND POLICIES FOR CITY OF AKRON RELATIVE TO PUBLIC ART ACQUISITION AND MAINTENANCE

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES (AND ADAPTATION RELATIVE TO COVID-19) IN FY20, ARTSNOW HOSTED 57 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND RESOURCING SESSIONS. BEGINNING IN APRIL OF 2020, THOSE EFFORTS SHIFTED TO FOCUS ON THE REALITIES OF THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED ON PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM, OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR LOCAL SBA, EIDL, AND STATE AND FEDERAL ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE SECTOR.

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