Photo: Interior, Darkroom Gallery, courtesy Darkroom Gallery.
Vermont Business Magazine Chittenden County artists and members of the creative sector are invited to a Vermont Creative Network ‘mashup’ event highlighting opportunities to work together for improvement of the creative sector in the region: Thursday, April 11, at Darkroom Gallery, 12 Main Street, Essex Junction, from 10am to noon. Presented by the Chittenden County Zone of the Vermont Creative Network and hosted by Kristin Humbargar, founder of the Essex Hub co-working spaces, the free mashup brings together local hospitality and lightning presentations, including the reveal of an upcoming statewide creative sector strategic planning initiative facilitated by the Vermont Creative Network.
Lightning round speakers include Wendy Knight, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism; Amy Cunningham, Deputy Director of the Vermont Arts Council; Jane Adams; and Ken Signorello, Founder and Director of Darkroom Gallery.
The Vermont Creative Network, an initiative of the Vermont Arts Council, was created in 2016 as a broad collective of organizations, businesses, and individuals working together to advance Vermont’s creative sector. The Network welcomes all creatives and currently reflects the energies of participants in visual arts and fine crafts, culture and heritage, design, literary arts, performing arts, film and media, and artisan foods. The Chittenden County Zone of the VCN will foster collective efforts to improve the County’s creative ecosystem and contribute local experience to statewide discussions about building Vermont’s creative community and accelerating its success.
James Lockridge, Executive Director of Big Heavy World and the VCN Zone Agent for Chittenden County, says, “Working together combines the many strengths of our region’s creative individuals — their tradecraft, business systems, social values and political acumen are all valuable resources to regional and statewide community and economy-building efforts. These collective voices are bringing a new dimension to Vermont’s strategy for growth and wellbeing via the Vermont Creative Network; this mashup is a chance for others to jump right in.”
Kristin Humbargar, Founder and Director of the Essex Hub co-working spaces and Creative Director for Essex Junctions steAmfest, says, “Working to highlight the potential for Essex to develop its creative economy through establishing creative community and a burgeoning arts district, we are excited to host and participate in the Vermont Creative Network conversation and spring meeting.”
The event is made possible by Darkroom Gallery, Nomad Coffee, and Sweet Alchemy.
Statewide creatives, economic and community development professionals and nonprofit leaders comprise the Vermont Creative Network which, with the Vermont Arts Council, recently released results of a six-month study that examined and documented creative assets in the Northeast Kingdom, resulting in an action plan to bolster the economy in that region. The Network has identified the need for comprehensive analysis of and action plan for the creative economy throughout Vermont.
Amy Cunningham, Deputy Director of the Vermont Arts Council, says, “A vibrant creative sector is an essential element of Vermont’s identity and it is also a substantial economic driver. These events help to raise awareness and to connect us — there’s a lot we can learn from each other!” More information about the Vermont Creative Network is available at http://vermontcreativenetwork.org
RSVP for this free event at bit.ly/vcnmashup or on Facebook, facebook.com/events/250180975935444/
Source: BURLINGTON March 11, 2019 Big Heavy World