I’m just back from another conference, this time hosted by Americans for the Arts. Some 1400 representatives arts organizations, foundations and community funds, arts service organizations, and local, state, regional, and national arts agencies gathered in Philadelphia for the 2008 annual conference.
As ever, the conference confirmed that the true value of such convenings is forged between and beyond the formal schedule — in unexpected meetings over coffee or in the bustling hallway, in side chatter in the back of the room while a panel presents badly projected and poorly designed PowerPoint slides at the front (red text on a dark background…good choice), and in the speed-networking possible when you can introduce, face to face, two close associates that don’t know each other but should (“Oh, you’re working on that topic, you really need to talk to Barbara in Cleveland, there she is, let me introduce you.”).
It continues to make me wonder what a conference would look like if it were optimized toward these absolute values.
But there was strong content in Philly, as well.
- Andrew Zolli did a great presentation on dynamic trends that will define our collective future (funny, engaging, personable, although essentially the same presentation he gave at Arts Presenters in January 2007). Spoiler alert: A big transformational dynamic is in how big our future world population will be, where they will live, and the proportion of pre- and post-wage-earners to those in the workforce.
- A smart bunch of panelists discussed the evidence of arts impact on communities and social issues — how they’re gathering it, how it can be framed, and why we can measure what seems to many to be immeasurable. Kudos, particularly, to Chris Dwyer of RMC Research for explaining the challenge and opportunities of thoughtful research so well, and to Mark Stern and Susan Seifert for their continuing work on the Social Impact of the Arts Project at UPenn.
- A blazingly brilliant panel — honestly, I had to squint — explored the commonly assumed ”leadership gap” now facing arts and culture…oh wait, I was on that panel. Perhaps I have a bias… Seriously, though, my panel partners Ximena Varela of Drexel University and Mitch Menchaca of the Arizona Commission were funny, bright, and wonderfully blunt about the realities of leadership diversity in the arts (Ximena) and the ”sink or swim” culture we tend to call ”leadership development” (Mitch). Thanks to the fabulous Cecelia Fitzgibbon of Drexel University for curating the conversation.
Finally, it occurred to me that the best way to galvanize a community is to have a common enemy. I therefore propose the launch of an arch nemesis to Americans for the Arts, tentatively titled ”Americans Against the Arts” or perhaps ”Americans Indifferent to the Arts.” Then, we’d really get some traction.
Oh, and a special shout-out to Paul Tyler from the ArtsKC Fund, who actually took the bold leap of adopting the Pecha Kucha PowerPoint rules for his conference presentation. Amy Kweskin blogged about it here. Props, Paul! May others be inspired by your example.
Scarlett Swerdlow says
Pecha Kucha PowerPoint rules: I must try this! Very intriguing.
Ann Marie Miller says
Witnessed you engaged in one of those power chats between floors. Didn’t want to interrupt to (re)introduce myself. Hope it was an eye opener!
Ellen Rosewall says
Andrew, I told you to tell them I said Hello! 😉 Seriously, I agree with you and would like to add some thoughts about a theme I also heard emerging from this conference, and that is the growing synergy between the arts and the corporate community who are starting to discover that they need workers with creativity and imagination to be competitive in the 21st century.
I’d like to see more discussion about this from different points of view. In my experience, arts groups often talk about how the arts help people be more creative, and that is why businesses should give lots of money to the Symphony. But there’s a big disconnect for me — going to Symphony concerts perhaps exposes people to creativity but there’s a big leap between being in the audience and developing the kind of creativity the business world is looking for.
Likewise in education — asking for more money for arts education without reforming the current, depleted state of arts education will not accomplish all of those glittering goals of arts education we like to tout.
Robin Middleman says
RE: Pecha Kucha
My peers are planning a pecha kucha presentation for our next arts education pre-conference at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies meeting in Chattanooga in September. This is all thanks to you Andrew! Our colleague in Montana saw your post and shared it with the pre-conference planning committee. So we will have a pecha kucha presentation from 6-8 state arts agency arts education managers on their respective teaching artist professional development programs.
It seems like the perfect process to share essential information on multiple programs in a relatively short timeframe.
We will let you know how it goes!
Kristin Han Burgoyne says
Ah… a better way to do power pointless.
Beck McLaughlin (here at the Montana Arts Council) shared this link with me about pecha kucha:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcmikedermott/2406106770/