Wire* — Phoenix Community Alliance will gather artists and leaders from major economic development, business and arts organizations for the inaugural ArtWORKS PHX Creative City Symposium on November 2, 2017, at Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The event will focus on the connection between arts, culture, innovation, placemaking and economic development highlighting effective partnerships among businesses and local artists to create competitive advantage. The event is supported by Artlink Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to keep the arts integral to the development of greater Phoenix.
Gould Evans displays local artwork in their downtown Phoenix office. Photo courtesy of Gould Evans.
The symposium is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will feature speakers and panels spotlighting how greater Phoenix businesses are integrating arts into the workplace, and how these initiatives are helping to attract and retain companies, lure talent, inspire innovation, and foster more collaborative work environments.
Emily Peck, Vice President of Private Sector Initiatives for Americans for the Arts will serve as the afternoon and evening keynote speaker. Panelists include business, economic development, and arts leaders from more than a dozen organizations including Artlink, Greater Phoenix Leadership, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Citizens for the Arts, and City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture.
“Local business-arts partnerships are greatly supporting Phoenix economic development,” noted Carol Poore, Phoenix Community Alliance Board member and chairman of the Arts, Culture and Public Life committee. “The program will emphasize how Phoenix-based businesses can benefit from engaging local arts and culture into the business model, as well as how artists can make new connections with local business leaders.”
As many as 300 participants are expected to join the conversation and gain a better understanding of how business-arts partnerships are good for business, good for employees, and are contributing to a vibrant and competitive city, including brand reputation for Phoenix.
“ArtWORKS PHX is a business-driven initiative championed by PCA Members who serve on our Arts, Culture and Public Life Committee,” said PCA Executive Director Devney Preuss. “Our business leaders have seen the value of arts partnerships firsthand and can attest to the economic impact. This momentum is igniting an exciting and timely movement in Greater Phoenix, and we’re pleased to welcome our city’s major business leadership, arts/culture, and economic development organizations to the table to explore new opportunities for supporting Phoenix as a creative city.”
Sculpture by Peter Deise, one of the featured symposium panelists. Photo by Matt Kahler.
Phoenix Community Alliance’s ArtWORKSPHX.ORG features dozens of examples of local organizations in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors that are benefiting from arts partnerships. Examples range from Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel to an auto repair shop, a locally-owned produce company, healthcare providers, banks and restaurants.
Information about the ArtWORKS PHX Creative City Symposium hosted at Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel and registration is available on the Phoenix Community Alliance website, and RSVP your spot here.
Program partners include: Artlink, Americans for the Arts and ArtWORKS/Partnership Movement.org, City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Greater Phoenix Leadership, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Business Committee for the Arts, Arizona State University, Arizona School for the Arts, Arizona Citizens for the Arts, Arizona Consortium for the Arts, Phoenix Business Journal, and Phoenix Center for the Arts.
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