About Creative Conversations

Creative Conversations is a professional development series being offered by the Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) that will focus on five (5) strategic initiatives (listed below). COA will convene a session(s) focused on each initiative, each designed in various formats including invitation-only meetings, open registration sessions, fishbowl-style conversations, workshops, and panel presentations. The five (5) strategic initiatives are:

READI:     Relevance, Equity, Access, Diversity, and Inclusion – COA’s framework to actively engage and support all members of our communities and guides all programmatic and investment decisions. Session(s) will delve into what READI and READI for investment means.

Accessibility:  A commitment to arts-based programs and services across the state that are accessible to populations with disabilities and to better serve Connecticut artists who identify as an individual with a disability.

Arts Learning: A commitment to advance learning in, about, and through the arts through its established Continuum of Practice. Sessions will focus on best practices and brainstorming plans for implementation opportunities.

Arts Workforce: Building a landscape across Connecticut filled with a thriving and sustainable Arts Workforce. The first session – Building Up Connecticut’s Art Workforce will be held on November 30 at 10 am at Real Art Ways in Hartford. Register here. Future sessions will focus on Mid-level Careers, Creative Aging, and Non-profit Organizations.

Arts & Economic Impact:  How can we better collect and use the data to tell our stories to our target audience? Session(s) will focus on statistics and numbers as valuable assets for the arts industry and how the data supports anecdotal experiences.

About Creative Conversations

A program of Americans for the Arts, Creative Conversations gather community leaders to discuss local arts, culture, and creativity to generate partnerships and increased energy around the grassroots movement to elevate the arts in America. COA will use the Creative Conversations’ collaborative dialogue to shape future programming and professional development offerings.