Governor launches strategic planning effort for arts community

Gov. Martin O’Malley has invited public participation in a new cultural planning initiative –Imagine Maryland: 2008-2013 – that will identify opportunities to enhance the arts landscape in Maryland.

Coordinated by the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), Imagine Maryland is intended to stimulate economic development, boost Maryland’s quality of life, attract visitors, and support artists and arts organizations.

“Maryland has one of the strongest state-supported arts programs in the country because we value access and diversity by all citizens – to all types of arts experiences,” Gov. O’Malley said. “We know by the number of people participating in the arts – and the growing number of locally based arts programs – that our steadfast commitment has nurtured a growing creative economy.”

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The Arts Council will host six regional meetings and more than 10 issue forums around the state during the next few months. Regional meetings are set for Cumberland, Bethesda, Easton, Dorchester, Baltimore and Prince Frederick.

The Arts Council has selected Morrie Warshawski, a California-based arts consultant and writer, to help guide this initiative. Warshawski, who has worked in the nonprofit sector for 30 years, will be a facilitator for many of the meetings, help design the on-line survey and conduct interviews with key community leaders.

He has designed strategic plans for other state arts councils and has worked with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) to produce a comprehensive guide to strategic planning.

Best practice

Strategic planning is a required “best practice” for arts agencies by the National Endowment for the Arts and NASAA. The Arts Council was established 40 years ago “to create a nurturing climate for the arts in the state.”

“As we near the end of our 40th anniversary year, we recognize our obligation to be relevant and realistic as we continue to create that climate,” said Theresa M. Colvin, executive director of the Arts Council.

During 2007, nonprofit arts organizations and arts programs that received operating support from the Arts Council contributed more than $1.2 billion to Maryland’s economy and provided 15,000 jobs to Maryland residents.