FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2015
Contact:

Jonathan Harwell-Dye 

jonathan@maconarts.org

(478) 308-1660

 

Creative Exchange to Launch "Leading Organizations" Pilot
Macon Arts Alliance joins arts organizations from across U.S. to share ideas & develop toolkits aimed at helping communities replicate proven programs that address local challenges

Saint Paul, MN (July 27, 2015) - Recognizing that many communities need more resources to creatively address local economic, social, and cultural challenges, a coalition of arts organizations from across the United States are joining forces to share ideas and develop toolkits aimed at helping communities nationwide easily replicate proven programs that build stronger neighborhoods and cities.  

Spearheaded by Creative Exchange, the Leading Organizations Pilot includes the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Macon Arts Alliance of Macon, GA, Metro Arts in Nashville, TN, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana in San Jose, CA, and Springboard for the Arts, Creative Exchange's parent organization in Saint Paul, MN. 

"We are incredibly excited to be working with this group of organizations. Similar to the sharing economy for goods and services, we believe that both organizations and the communities they serve can be strengthened by the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources," says Springboard for the Arts Executive Director Laura Zabel. "These are organizations supporting artists in their communities, creating new opportunities and acting as bridges and connection points in broader community conversations. They believe, as we do, that artists are a creative force in each neighborhood, and can help us step up and creatively face the challenges of our times."

The Leading Organizations pilot is the next phase of the work of Creative Exchange to highlight and connect the movement of local arts and culture on a national scale. The groups included in the Leading Organization pilot represent geographically broad communities of different sizes, with diverse populations and unique histories, but each one is engaged in arts-focused community development and engagement work.

 

"It's an honor to be part of the Creative Exchange's 'Leading Organizations' pilot," said Jonathan Harwell-Dye, director of communications at Macon Arts Alliance. "This is a wonderful opportunity to share our knowledge and to learn from organizations that we already admire for their innovative work building community through the arts."


Over the course of one year, the Leading Organizations will share ideas and working practices to strengthen each other's work. Creative Exchange will publish stories about artists with impact in their communities, and will collaborate to develop shareable toolkits from the Leading Organizations' proven, effective programming.

In addition to stories and toolkits, the Leading Organizations will collaborate with Creative Exchange to host gatherings of creative communities. These events will kick off in fall 2015 with a September 16 gathering in Minneapolis, MN, in partnership with Issue Media Group publication The Line and Public Functionary, and on November 6 in Denver, CO, in partnership with Issue Media Group publication Confluence. The gathering in Denver is funded by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, cultivating arts and leaders for a vibrant community. More details on the gatherings to come.

More about the Leading Organizations:

Macon Arts Alliance, Macon, GA -- The mission of the Macon Arts Alliance is to foster and support the advancement of arts and culture in Central Georgia. Macon Arts Alliance strives to be an innovative leader of a diverse and thriving arts community as well as a strategic partner in creating an open, inclusive, and vibrant place for artists, arts organizations, residents, businesses, and tourists.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Pittsburgh, PA -- The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council drives political, financial, and professional support for the entire Greater Pittsburgh arts community. With the tagline, "Arts loud and clear," the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council serves as the voice for arts and culture across the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Metro Arts, Nashville, TN -- Metro Nashville Arts Commission, or Metro Arts, is the arts and cultural division of the city of Nashville. Metro Arts believes that all Nashvillians should participate in a creative life and that arts drive a more vibrant and equitable community. Nashville has a diverse creative ecosystem and Metro Arts is the designated driver and facilitator of programs, policies and practices that support arts and cultural vibrancy.

MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, San Jose, CA -- MACLA is an inclusive contemporary arts space grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience that incubates new visual, literary and performance art in order to engage people in civic dialogue and community transformation. MACLA produces programming in four core program tracks - visual arts, performing & literary arts, youth arts education, and community arts programs.

Springboard for the Arts, Saint Paul & Fergus Falls, MN -- Springboard for the Arts cultivates vibrant communities by connecting artists with the resources they need to make a living and a life. Springboard for the Arts helps communities collaborate with artists to solve local economic, social, and cultural challenges.

For further questions, contact Carl Atiya Swanson, Director of Movement Building at Springboard for the Arts via email at creativeexchange@springboardforthearts.org or via phone at 651-292-3205.

ABOUT CREATIVE EXCHANGE
Dedicated to helping communities mobilize the powerful, creative force of artists to solve local challenges, Creative Exchange is a national hub where community leaders and artists come together to share proven ideas and success stories for building stronger neighborhoods and cities. Recognizing that many local governments, community organizations, nonprofits, and arts groups lack the resources to develop innovative programs from scratch, Creative Exchange offers free toolkits, consultation, and networking to help communities collaborate with artists in replicating successful programs that creatively address economic, social, and cultural issues. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Creative Exchange is a national initiative of Springboard for the Arts. Creative Exchange is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Surdna Foundation and Kresge Foundation, with content partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts and Aspen Institute Arts Program.

 

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