2021 NW MI Arts & Culture Summit
Celebrating Resiliency – Fueling Recovery
Building Back for a Stronger Creative Sector
Tuesday, 5/4/21 – 9:30am-3:00pm – Online
See Schedule See Speakers See Resources
Artists & creatives of all disciplines, arts & cultural organizations, creative businesses, community builders, planners and 78 regional stakeholders participated – virtually – in the 2021 Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Summit on May 4, 2021.
See online schedule below for links to recordings and transcripts.
Recovery, resiliency and reshaping were the key themes in 2021 with discussions, demos and hands-on tools and strategies. Panel discussions explored: “The Pandemic Pivot,” “Diversity & Inclusion,” and “Powering Art in the Public Square.” Breakout sessions included: “Evaluation 101,” “Diversity Deep Dive,” “Work of Art,” “Advocacy & Action,” “Tech Tips, Tools & Strategies,” and “Creative Collaboration.” Speakers included more than 30 regional artists, arts and cultural leaders, community project directors, and creative sector advocates, in addition to state leaders of Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Michigan Museums Association, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Artrain and Michigan’s Creative Coast.
The regional summit is a professional development day held annually to learn, strengthen relationships, share resources and continue collaborating to build the ten-county network.
Summit registration is a benefit of Network Membership. Non-members welcome. Scholarships are available. Contact arts@nwmiarts.net.
Presentations, tools, research, links, publication and other resources used during the day are available to review or download in 2021 Summit Resources (see button, right). This page continues to be updated. See online schedule for links to transcripts & recordings.
Program & Presentations
The 2021 Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Summit will be presented online via Zoom.
Scroll Below for Schedule & Speakers Bios
Join us for
Interactive presentations, panel discussions & breakout sessions
Networking, resource sharing, deep dives & best practices
Hands-on tools & post-pandemic strategies to rebuild, reshape & recover for a stronger creative sector
Morning Panels
Welcome – 9:30am
Celebrating Resiliency, Building Recovery: Arts, Culture & Creative Communites
Mercedes Michalowski
Executive Director, Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts
President, Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network
Gary Gatzke
Associate Director of Continuing & Community Education, Interlochen Center for the Arts
State of Arts & Culture
Alison Watson, Director
Michigan Council for Arts & Culture Affairs
Panel 1 – 9:45am
The Pandemic Pivot
“Resiliency is the ability to pivot – over and over again.”
Since the pandemic hit the United States, the creative sector has been dramatically impacted on all levels. Looking back and forward forward, we will discuss the the many pivots taken, lasting impact, silver linings, opportunities and continued challenges as we begin to reshape and re-open as we emerge through final phases of the pandemic. Join this interactive discussion.
Alison Watson, Director
Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs
Lisa Craig Brisson, Executive Director
Michigan Museums Association
Katherine Luellen, Executive Dean
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Jennifer McQuiston Lott, Dancer/Choreographer; Co-Artistic Director
Traverse City Dance Project
Facilitator
Mary Bevans Gillett, Convener
Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network
Panel 2 – 10:40AM
Building Diversity & Inclusion
Arts, culture and the creative sector can offer a voice and a connector to further diversity and inclusion in our workplaces, our communities and in the work we share. How can we take steps forward to do so?
Holly T. Bird
Title Track
Craig Hadley
Dennos Museum Center
Xavier Verna
Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts
Vester Waters
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Facilitator
Sarah Bearup-Neal
Glen Arbor Arts
Panel 3 – 11:30am
Powering Art in Public
Arts and culture can power recovery as our communities mend. Can the arts be the catalyst to rebuild the public square? How do we best use the creative sector to connect, challenge, and engage with each other, new audiences, and important community conversations.
Ted Alan
Musician
Caitlin Early
Traverse Area Recreation & Transportation Trails
Nancy McRay
Textile Artist & Art Rapids
Rick Schmitt
Stormcloud Brewing Company
Facilitator
Peter Payette, Executive Director
Interlochen Public Radio
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Insights – 12:15PM
Trey Devey, President
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Lunch Break – 12:30PM
Optional Network Breakout Rooms
MCACA Staff – Drop-in Grant Info/Q&A
Emerging Leaders
General Networking
Interested in a special topic, please share!
Reconvene & Re-engage – 1:15PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Breakouts A, B, C – 1:20pm
– Short Break –
Breakouts D, E, F – 2:15pm
Breakout A
Evaluation & Planning: Informing Our Decisions
Presenter
Lisa Craig Brisson
Michigan Museums Association
Breakout B
Diversity Deep Dive
Presenters
Kim Kelderhouse
Leelanau Historical Society & Museum
Amanda Kik
Crosshatch Center for Arts & Ecology
Bill & Sue Klco
Good Hart Artist Residency
Breakout C
Work of Art
Presenters
Kristi Wodek
Crooked Tree Art Center-
Traverse City
Stephanie Coate
Creative Coast
Jeff “Jabo” Bihlman
Bihlman Brothers & Q100
Breakout D
Advocacy & Engagement
Presenters
Deb Polich
Creative Washtenaw & Artrain
Michigan Arts Advocacy Captain, Americans for the Arts
Jill O’Neill
Great Lakes Center for the Arts; Cultural Advocacy Network & Michigan Independent Venue & Promoters Association
Breakout E
Technology
Tips, Tricks & Strategy
Presenters
Lisa Marie Tobin
Gaylord Arts Council
Stephanie Coate
Creative Coast
Breakout F
Partnerships & Creative Collaborations
Presenters
Liz Erlewine
Crooked Tree Arts Center-Petoskey
Eric Hemenway
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Joe Beyer
Parallel 45
Camille Hoisington
Traverse Connect &
Creative Coast
Next Steps & Send-Off – 3:00pm
Join us for a Virtual Happy Hour & Networking immediately following
Speakers
Ted Alan
Sarah Bearup-Neal
Joseph Beyer
Jeff “Jabo” Bihlman
Holly T. Bird
John W. Bogley
Sponsors
Thank you to the sponsors whose support makes the Summit possible.
Resources from Past Summits
The Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture Summit is held annually at Interlochen Center for the Arts. This convening brings together artists of all disciplines, arts & cultural organizations, creative entrepreneurs, community builders, planners and stakeholders together with state arts leaders to explore best practices, timely topics, network tools, sector challenges, funding strategies and partnering opportunities as we continue shaping the network’s future. Hallmarks are the rich range of local, regional and state speakers and the high level of interactivity, connectivity and strengthened relationships among attendees. The regional arts and culture summit is an annual springboard to new relationships, opportunities, mentors and ideas. Resources from past summits are available below.
May 2020 would have marked the 5th annual summit but was deferred due to COVID-19. We look forward to sharing more resources from our 2021 Virtual Summit on May 4, 2021.
Let’s Connect
Please join the Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network on social media. Promote your events, announcements and creative work by posting or sharing to the Network sites. Join the private Facebook group to discuss with colleagues. Invite others to join, like, support and engage!
Facebook
facebook.com/nwmichiganarts
@nwmichiganarts
Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network
Facebook
Private FB Group for Arts
& Cultural Stakeholders
NW MI Arts & Culture Community
Instagram
instragram.com/nwmichiganarts
#nwmichiganarts
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-eRzE9u2d0iE-Y3AHGA6w/videos
NW MI Arts & Culture Network
LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/groups/12227441/
Northwest Michigan Arts and Culture Network
Twitter
twitter.com/nwmiarts
@nwmiarts