Creative Economy Advisory Panel
Minutes for Meeting 1
Nov. 12, 2009

Don Marostica, Director, Office of Economic Development & International Trade welcomed everyone. He shared that Colorado is in the Top 5 in many different business categories. But the state only recently learned that it ranked as one of the most creative states. “We are committed to building economic development around creative industries,” he said. We have almost 200,000 jobs and we know that we can have a lot more in the creative industries. Quality of life is what it is all about. We want to continue to build on that.”

Marostica introduced Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien. She said this meeting was very exciting and she looks forward to learning how the arts can be part of the economic debate. “The arts are already a big chunk of our economy,” she said. A lot of people are looking for careers in the arts, but she wants the panel to look for practical ways to implement training programs, apprenticeships, and career paths that will be developed for the arts. This is what our workforce development and education systems are working for, she explained. The education system is looking at more counseling with a career component. “Kids don’t know the options in front of them and we want them to imagine careers they can work for early on in their educations,” she said.

O’Brien stated that the state is looking for advice. “We are going to come out of the economic downturn and when we do we want to have a plan for developing creative industries,” she said, concluding: “We’re going to see great results out of it as we go forward and our kids are going to see great benefit.”

Drew O’Connor, Facilitator, The Civic Canopy then opened the meeting by asking: “What is a creative economy? What would a plan for the future look like?” O’Connor pointed out that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There are many voices coming together from the creative and arts community.
He let everyone know what would happen during the process.
 Meeting 1—Define the Colorado Creative Economy
 Meeting 2—Outcomes for the Colorado Creative Economy
 Meeting 3—Key strategies to reach our outcomes
 Post Meetings—Staff research, writing, and additional stakeholder outreach
 Finalize Colorado Creative Economy Strategic Plan
 Kickoff campaign in June 2010

Elaine Mariner, Director, Colorado Council on the Arts provided background and contextual information, based on the Colorado: State-of-the-Arts research study (see www.coloarts.org for full report.). She talked about creativity as a competitive advantage quoting from Business Week magazine. “When people talked about innovation in the 90s they invariably meant technology. When people speak about innovation today, it’s more likely they mean design. Consumers, who are choking on choice, look at design as the new differentiation.”

The primary value of a creative product or service is rooted in is emotional and aesthetic appeal to the customer. Not only where art is the product, but also where design is the distinguishing feature, as well as the entities that provide access to art and design such as manufacturers, distributors, and presenters. Mariner identified the Colorado Creative Industry segments the study was based on: Design; film, media, cable; heritage, literary and publishing; performing; visual arts and crafts. She added that states like Louisiana include the culinary arts and Massachusetts includes software design. Mariner pointed out that 186,251 residents of Colorado are in a creative enterprise or employed in creative occupations. It is the 5th largest jobs cluster with $5 billion in employee earnings. According to the NEA, the state ranks 5th in the concentration of artists based on population and this sector is growing faster in Colorado than any other state. The creative population is well distributed across the state.

Mariner went on to mention Daniel Pink and his book A Whole New Mind who said the 21st Century will emphasize creativity and ninety-seven percent of CEO’s polled agree that creativity is a critical skill for success. In Colorado, a recent K-12 arts education survey showed that 93% of Colorado elementary schools offer some arts education, but only 47% of high school students take art. In the high schools that offer more arts education they have higher reading, writing, and science CSAP scores and lower dropout rates, regardless of socioeconomic background.

Mariner closed by adding that the state has no time to waste since other states already have a jump on Colorado in creating some form of economic development policy based upon creative industry. She then introduced Pam Breaux, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism and Scott Hutcheson, Assistant Secretary for Cultural Development. The two opened their presentation by encouraging the panel that “this work is not a destination. It’s a journey.” Their full Power Point presentation is posted at www.thecivicnetwork.org/creativeeconomy.

Following the Louisiana presentation, Drew O’Connor said: “We have our work cut out for us. Every journey begins with the first step. The process of defining the creative economy hasn’t ended. We want to know what it is and where are its edges so we can begin to nurture it.”

The group broke into small groups to discuss and define the Colorado Creative Economy, answering the question, what is uniquely Colorado? Some of the answers:

 Colorado has a long-standing heritage combined with world-class arts at every level.
 Look at ways for the cultural sector to work with the recreation sector.
 Provide an opportunity to grow creativity—nature and nurture. A pipeline.
 Colorado has a tapestry of diverse cultures and histories.
 Expand the SCFD statewide
 High levels of education and entrepreneurial mindset in the state
 Colorado has a migration population and floating populations
 Culinary, beer and wine, and agri-tourism
 How do we incorporate identity as outdoors state, with art & culture? Red Rocks and other mountain music festivals are big.
 Thinking about design and outdoor sports, snowboarding, skis, and outdoor apparel, which may be worth looking at and investing in.
 How do we get the business community to realize that the artistic and creative sector is so high?
 Dinosaurs and paleontology
 East of I-25 as well, not just West of I-25.
 Facilities the existence of opera houses in small towns, many cities and towns are centered on active malls—outdoor malls—arts at the heart of the community.
 Holistic view of the creative economy. So many towns and cities with their own unique niche. Strengthen those pieces without losing the holistic approach. Ongoing redefining process of what the creative definition is.
 Cultural economy—better than creative economy.
 We very much have a do it yourself, independent spirit and do it yourself craft movement.
 Bluegrass

This input will be compiled into a draft of a Colorado-specific creative economy definition by the next meeting, which is scheduled for Dec. 9, 3-5 p.m. at Arvada Center, 6852 Wadsworth.