Incoming Chair of Emerging Leaders in the Arts Network, Evelyn Thorne, reflects on her experience at the Emerging Leaders Pre-Conference and the Americans for the Arts Convention in Pittsburgh, PA this past June 12th– 16th.
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I was flying back to Eugene, OR from Pittsburgh, PA, having just experienced the Emerging Leaders Pre-Conference and Americans for the Arts Convention. Why, I wondered, did I feel such a strong sense of motivation?
I had gone to many conferences before. I usually left them feeling frustrated and depleted: the after-effect of gathering a group of professionals together to complain about the state of the field, but offering no solutions.
This time, however, I felt ready to take on the challenges of arts administration because I had just witnessed so many amazing projects and ideas that provided answers instead of more questions. Moreover, discussions were centered on collaboration versus competition. Instead of guarding secrets to success, organizations were willing to share their strategies with each other in the name of arts advocacy. Arts leaders were taking advantage of their time together to learn from each other and truly demonstrate the power of the arts in communities all over the United States. As I flew over those states, I realized that I was a part of this movement and that, regardless of national politics and economics, the arts were not only surviving but thriving.
Laura Zabel of Springboard for the Arts at the 2013 Emerging Leaders Pre-Conference
I learned if we want people to believe the arts are economically viable, then we need to stop complaining and start demonstrating. As Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, mentioned in his keynote speech, Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t say “I have an issue.” King painted a picture of a new future and convinced us it was possible.
This is exactly what many of the presenters did at the AFTA convention. For the Emerging Leaders Pre-Conference, Jane Werner of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh described how a small children’s museum grew to be one of the best in the nation through partnerships and investing in their neighborhood. During a session on finding new funding sources for the arts, Maggie Johnson of Jazzspace Consulting described her involvement in Pittsburgh’s successful city-wide day of arts funding and she was willing to help others model this program by sharing an extensive report on the process. Presenters for a session on the future of rural arts in America, John Davis of Lanesboro, MN and Tracy Taft of Ajo, AZ, showed how they’ve transformed their towns into cultural centers through strategic creative placemaking. Bill Strickland, President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation, gave his incredible speech about the impact of arts education on raising high school graduation rates to over 90% at his innovative art and technology centers starting up across the country.
Everywhere I looked I found sources of inspiration, people willing to share their methods of success with colleagues and proof that the arts are truly impacting communities. It’s no wonder I left Pittsburgh feeling encouraged and ready to pursue a career in the arts.
When I landed back in Eugene soon to start my role as the Chair of Emerging Leaders in the Arts Network, I began to really appreciate the best part of the conference: getting to meet other emerging leaders. I was blown away by all that these young leaders had accomplished and for once, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by my impending job search. I saw my ambitions reflected in the work of my peers and supported by their enthusiasm. These are the connections I value most as I figure out how to be an emerging leader in the arts, because now I know I don’t have to go it out alone. Only together we can keep this movement going.
Evelyn Thorne is a graduate student in Arts Administration with a focus in Community Arts Management and the incoming chair of Emerging Leaders in the Arts Network (ELAN). Her interests in storytelling, facilitation and community cultural development have led her to research best practices for facilitating personal storytelling and intern at the Center for Digital Storytelling this summer. She likes to describe herself as a part-time poet, explorer and radio lover.
