First Thoughts

This collection of resources is a starting point to exploration about what enables arts and culture. I landed on these six categories of consideration through a review of current arts and culture thinking, including the arts initiatives like our own Massachusetts Creative Economy Initiative that are gaining traction. Focus on these six areas in combination seems to be a step toward the any community breathing in and out arts and culture.

  • Wayfinding – the guidelines, best practices, principles, and way of thinking to set up society, community, program so it flourishes
  • Webs – the ever-evolving communities or collections of people and information that depend on threads that connect the various members or nuggets of information
  • Treasure – Funding, sustenance, financial support, or whatever you term the means by which artists and or creators can make a living and work on cool projects
  • Opportunities – What exists out there for artists, musicians, or consumers of the world of arts and culture? There may be more than you think. Its important to know about them, but how to stay abreast?
  • Space – All artists, performers need space to perform, work, or exhibit. These days there is lots of space online as well as in person. But I am also referring to the space where ideas are born – the space of people discussing, sharing, innovating.
  • Tools– With technology and the Internet, tools exist. They make life and organizing information and tasks easier. In fact, some tools have been designed with artists or non-profit ideals in mind. That is encouraging.

This collection of resources is not exhaustive but evolving. It is where I started. And it is the next step from my links   in that I have used, read, understood, and value these resources as key in setting up a better society friendly and benefiting from rich art and culture.