New York State Council on the Arts Announces Cultural Blueprints Sessions Across New York
Fourteen Public Forums will identify arts development strategies for state and regions

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) today announced a series of public forums to be held across the State as part of a new initiative designed to greatly enhance the arts in New York. NYSCA will host a series of "Cultural Blueprints" sessions to develop a clear articulation of each region's strengths and needs, a statement of key priorities, and the identification of regional and statewide opportunities for the arts to serve as a catalyst for cultural, economic and community development.

The Cultural Blueprints sessions will bring together arts professionals, economic development experts, private philanthropists, tourism professionals, public officials, artists, and business, education and community leaders for five-hour long sessions in each region. NYSCA, working with Empire State Development (ESD) Regional Offices, I LOVE NY and local arts councils, will conduct fourteen public forums in every part of the state.

"New York has an incredible history as a state where the arts have flourished, and we must take steps to maintain this environment, which has fostered such creativity," said Governor David A. Paterson. "A celebration of the arts is a celebration of our culture as Americans and New Yorkers. These forums will serve as a guide to maintaining New York's place in the world as a cultural and artistic center."

Mary Schmidt Campbell, Chair of NYSCA, said: "I am committed to finding new strategic alliances that will become a lightening rod for economic development as well as a means of strengthening the state's cultural infrastructure. New York State stands to gain economically, socially and educationally. This is an unprecedented opportunity to identify regional challenges and opportunities for coordinated action by the arts, economic development and philanthropic communities."

Building on ESD's Regional Blueprint process, NYSCA's Cultural Blueprints Sessions will consider the following topics: Infrastructure, Intellectual Capital and Workforce Development, International and Global Thinking, Investment and Financial Models, and Image and Identity.

The Blueprints sessions will convene in every region of the state, ending with New York City's 5 boroughs in the summer of 2009. The Mid-Hudson session will take place on November 13, at a location to be decided, from 10am-3pm.

In addition to the sessions themselves, material about the cultural blueprints, regional blogs, and RSVP details can be found at www.culturalblueprints.co.cc