You’re invited! April 12th, 2018 – Convene, share, learn, connect & celebrate!

BUILDING COLLECTIVE IMPACT –
When we learn together and work collectively we develop
more opportunities for change

LEARN – and engage with experts in arts and culture Bay Area-wide
CONNECT – with artists, art administrators, supporters and advocates from a variety of disciplines and fields
CELEBRATE – the arts and culture community in concert with colleagues and new connections

You are invited to the 1st annual State of the Arts - a half-day convening and celebration for the local arts and culture community.

Join Bay Area artists, arts and culture workers, supporters and advocates to share knowledge, inspire, and celebrate. We will  discuss pressing issues regarding living and working in the Bay Area, learn about opportunities to make change, and honor exemplary work in our field.

The event will include a ‘state of the arts’ address by local experts, a variety of breakout sessions designed with your interests in mind, an awards ceremony, and a networking and social hour with live music by PangeaFC. Introductory dance performance by Urban Jazz Dance Company and music provided by local artist, Micropixie.

Confirmed presenters:

• Jason Bayani, Kearny Street Workshop
• Roberto Bedoya, Oakland Cultural Affairs Manager
• Tom DeCaigny, San Francisco Director of Cultural Affairs
• Lex Leifheit, Arts for a Better Bay Area co-founder
• Meaghan Mitchell, Imprint City
• Honey Mahogany, San Francisco Transgender Cultural District

Confirmed Educational Sessions (all sessions will be facilitated by one or more experts per topic):

Professional Development - Amy Kweskin, Artsightful --- An interactive session which will explore your professional development needs and map resources for mastering the business of art.

Fiscal Resources - Lisa Burger, Independent Arts & Media; Anne Huang, World Arts West; Randy Rollison, Intersection for the Arts --- Hear three industry experts describe how organizations and individuals are pulling in dollars to keep their artistry afloat.

Equity and Arts - Vinay Patel, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center --- Gain insight and discuss concepts, best practices and strategies in building equity for arts and culture.

Influencing City Policy - Jean Johnstone, Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership and Teaching Artists Guild; Jessa Brie Moreno, California Alliance for Arts Education; Tony Kelly, Theater Artist and Candidate for District 10 Supervisor --- Explore best practices and techniques for influencing local policy in this interactive session with three local experts.

Local Arts Advocacy Initiatives - Katherin Canton, Emerging Arts Professionals - SFBA; Rachel Lastimosa, SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District --- Hear from two local arts advocates about the multiple forms their work takes and the relationships between their creative practices and their advocacy. Discuss current opportunities and challenges in local advocacy efforts.

Housing Resources - Jim Brown, Tannery Arts Center; Karoleen Feng, Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) --- Learn about and discuss affordable housing models and initiatives in San Francisco and Santa Cruz in support of arts and culture workers

Please invite your colleagues, friends and fellow advocates!
Registration is required to attend.
Register at Eventbrite 

(Registration fees include a year membership to Arts for a Better Bay Area,
a local arts advocacy nonprofit and event host. No one will be turned away for lack of funds,
register for free early bird tickets.)

Date: April 12, 2018
Time: 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM (complete schedule TBA)
Location: The Midway, 900 Marin St., San Francisco (ADA accessible; gender-neutral bathrooms available)

Special thanks to our outreach partners: