Vermont Creative Network Hosts Two-Day Summit at Vermont College of Fine Arts Nov 4&5

More than 200 members of Vermont’s creative sector will gather on November 4 and 5, 2015 to explore and shape the new Vermont Creative Network. This initiative was developed by the Vermont Arts Council as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary of public and private support for the arts. Over two days, practitioners, educators, administrators, designers, and creative professionals will participate in two plenaries, more than 25 workshop and panel sessions, and several issue update meetings. All events will take place at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier.

A distinguished panel comprising Robin Turnau of Vermont Public Radio, Holly Groschner of Vermont PBS, Megan Smith of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, and Pamela Polston of Seven Days will discuss “Creativity and the Vermont Brand” at the November 4 lunchtime plenary session. Hal Colston, Burlington Free Press 2014 Vermonter of the Year and director of Vermont Partnership for Change, will present the keynote address on Thursday, November 5. Administrators and arts leaders from Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York will speak about their passions, their projects, and their interest in a connected, collective creative sector and economy for our state.

”We are very excited about this inaugural Summit, a gathering of people from every facet of the creative sector,” said Zon Eastes, Vermont Arts Council director of Outreach and Advancement and project director for the Vermont Creative Network. “During 2015, network organizers conducted community forums around the state attended by more than 750 people. Through these meetings we gathered hundreds of innovative and constructive ideas about what a network for the creative sector could be. Because of the enthusiastic support of many people and organizations we are now coming together to build the launch pad for the Vermont Creative Network.”

During the Summit, plans for the network’s launch will be revealed and discussed. The Network is expected to launch in 2016.

The Summit is hosted by the Vermont Arts Council and Vermont College of Fine Arts.      

For more information and registration, please visit www.vermontcreativenetwork.org/summit/