We conduct listening tours, hold trainings and provide technical assistance to artists, professionals, arts agencies and municipalities throughout the state. Our community partnership services help Utah's arts organizations promote and expand arts and culture. We provide assistance with advocacy, fundraising, business practices, nonprofit organizational development and technical assistance.
Advocacy is sharing your views and opinions with the elected officials who make decisions affecting your arts organization. Nonprofits can and should participate in public policy discussions that affect their organizations and communities. Effective advocacy hinges on continuous education and communication between your supporters (your advocates), their decision-makers (local politicians, state and federal legislators) and the public.
The 2004-05 listening tours conducted throughout the state consisted of lunch meetings and one-on-one interviews with state and local elected officials, community leaders, educators, artists and arts organizations. Each tour concluded with a public town hall meeting. Information was gathered reporting community and individual artist needs and wants relative to arts and culture opportunities. In addition to interviews and town meetings, an online survey was conducted and intercept surveys were distributed at various events.
Local arts councils are the heart of community arts participation and play an important role in advocating, encouraging and developing arts and cultural awareness. They provide access to continuing arts education; live performances in music, dance and theatre; literary readings; visual arts shows; and festivals. They frequently interface with local city and town government, acting as advocates for the arts as a means of developing community and raising the quality of life. For a list of regional arts councils and agencies, click here.
The Creative Communities Initiative includes a grant to support the creation of innovative connections between culture, art, community building, civic engagement, community planning and use of public space to enhance economic opportunities and quality of life in Utah's communities.
Leadership & Professional Development
The Change Leader Institute offers a professional development course that addresses leadership issues in relation to leading change. This intensive training involves a three-day innovative institute, a certification process and continuing Change Leader conferences and seminars. Arts and cultural leaders are better trained to manage the sustainability of their organizations and communities and are able to participate in a statewide mentoring network.
Mountain West Conference on the Arts
This regionwide gathering provides opportunities for innovation, networking and professional development. The conference is designed to help individuals and organizations in the arts community access essential resources and create community connections throughout Utah and the Mountain West. The conference is also part of a long-term effort to sustain the creative industry by providing opportunities, education, tools, information and resources that serve all contributors to the arts.
Social Networking
We offer two networking sites specifically for change leaders and local communities. The Utah Change Leader Ning site is an invitation-only social networking site for individuals participating in the Change Leader program. The Utah Arts Building Communities (ABC) Ning site is an open-membership site that was created to bring local arts councils and arts organizations throughout Utah together to network, share information and build community.
Capacity-Building Toolkit
This toolkit is for local arts councils and nonprofit organizations to strengthen infrastructure, build capacity, support current business practices and provide a "go-to" resource. Please also visit the resources pages for local arts councils and nonprofit organizations for additional information and links.