PEER SESSION REPORT-CODA CONFERENCE MAY 2004, New Orleans

Public  Service Groups and Government Agencies

Session participants: Lee Herrick, Conley Salyer, Becky Anderson, Cela Burge, Nyree Ramsey, Paul Wilborn, Shirley Trusty Corey, and Fran Redmon. 

Discussion centered around Lt. Governor’s remarks, and how CODA can get the “Big Idea”.  What are the themes that can become central to CODA. CODA needs to develop its business sense. 

The issue of influencing public policy was discussed, and some examples of programming mentioned:
§         Paducah Artists Relocation Program
§         Texas Craft Initiative

How can CODA use it’s own creative abilities? How can we identify the people who can serve as the connectors between CODA, our concerns, and those that influence public policy? There has been growth of articulate speakers in this arena (i.e. Richard Florida). How can CODA have a face in the circles where these issues are discussed?

Spheres of influence:
§         National Governor’s association
§         Stu Rosenfeld – Creative Clusters, CraftNet
§         American Association of Museums

Note of warning, groups are a little on the defensive to prove that creative economies exist. Handmade in America has conducted a real estate study, to show the amount of real estate creative industries occupy in Asheville. Cape Charles used a goods and services model based on ticket sales, etc. 

There was general discussion about how to knock down barriers and reach the authorizing groups we need to connect with.  There was discussion of the issues faced when dealing with artists, and how to better connect them to the business community, and methods for best reaching artists, lessons learned from one-on-one counseling experience in Kentucky and Louisiana. Discussion sprang from Nyree Ramsey’s introduction and information she shared about what the Mayor’s office of New Orleans is doing to support musicians.

Becky indicated what the current new market trends are including medicine, tourism, and housing.  We have to be able to address current issues.

In summarizing the discussion, group felt that since our work is labor intensive, we needed some effort focused on getting to public policy makers.

We should identify a champion, like Lt. Governor Landrieu that could bring a think tank of these people together. Might involve leaders of 5 states that are focusing on connections between economic trends and craft roles. A proposal could be submitted to the Cummings Foundation, which addresses public policy and the arts.

Further discussion ensued about how artists, as an industry sector, do not have a support system that keys them into the trends, such as housing market and retirement, and the new issues of design.  There is a need for a cross industry integration model.

There was concern about how to keep this discussion going, and if CODA might apply for a Rockefeller grant?