Thought Leadership and reach           

WESTAF Launches New Website
We are so excited to share a refreshed, more dynamic and accessible WESTAF website! We initiated work on this project before beginning our rebrand process but just couldn’t wait to show you all the improvements we have made. Thanks to photo submissions from current and past TourWest grantees, our Leaders of Color network and state arts agencies and arts organizations in the West, the new site better represents and highlights the great work happening across the region.

Check out the new site!

WESTAF Engages Local Arts Agency Veterans on Civic Imagination Convening June 8-10, 2022 with support from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, and Denver Arts & Venues
With the support of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, and Denver Arts and Venues, WESTAF organized a gathering of cultural policy professionals including current and former Local Arts Agency (LAA) leaders and state, regional, and national arts service organizations leaders in Denver, Colorado from June 8-10. The objective of the convening was to create a platform to think, dream, and strategize around the concept of Civic Imagination, which is defined as the intersection of the Civic Body (policy, governance and the public realm) and Creative Practice (how we imagine our lives together through stories, sound, images, and design). Attendees included representatives from public, private, philanthropic, and non-profit sectors as well as members of WESTAF’s Leaders of Color network.

Washington Creative Economy Strategic Plan Project

The State of Washington Department of Commerce has commissioned WESTAF to lead a Washington Creative Economy Strategic Plan project with the Cultural Planning Group and Randy Engstrom of Third Way Creative. The team is currently recruiting a statewide creative economy workgroup and establishing partnerships with critical networks in the state’s creative economy ecosystem. The workgroup will include leaders from state government agencies, representatives of Washington’s indigenous communities, creative industries firms, arts and cultural nonprofits, financial services institutions, and other stakeholders.

alliances, advocacy & policy        
WESTAF’s 2022 Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar Concludes
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2022 Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar (ALAS)! This year’s ALAS concluded on May 24 with 278 registrations, average attendance per session of nearly 40 with a session participation high of over 50. Both registration and participation numbers increased from last year, nearly tripling our total registrations and increasing per-session attendance by almost 50 percent, thanks to expanded sessions created in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, Californians for the Arts, Inspire Washington, and the Center for Cultural Innovation.A post-event survey has been shared with participants and we are excited to receive feedback to continue to improve ALAS! All six panels are now available to watch on YouTube and additional post-event resources are coming soon.
View the playlist
Bay Area Arts Policy and Leadership Seminar Continues with Additional Support from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation
The Kenneth Rainin Foundation (a private family foundation with collaboration and innovation at the heart of its programs dedicated to enhancing quality of life by championing and sustaining the arts, promoting early childhood literacy and supporting research to cure chronic disease) joins the Hewlett Foundation to support the Bay Area Arts Policy and Leadership Seminar, which continued with a virtual gathering on June 14th. This session centered on a discussion of “Power and Policy,” with a specific focus on two issue areas identified in the first gathering by the cohort members: sustainable and equitable funding and housing security. The remaining dates for the seminar have been announced and will take place on July 19 (virtual), August 23 (in person), and October 18 (in person).

social responsibility & inclusion      
WESTAF Presents on Diversifying and Empowering the Pipeline for 2022 NASAA Learning Series
WESTAF Director of Social Responsibility and Inclusion Anika Kwinana recently joined Dana Payne from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Joy Young from South Arts in an in-depth discussion on strengthening leadership pipelines and empowering BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or people of color) administrators as critical to long-term equity strategies.WESTAF Receives Completed Applications for TourWest
Now that the application process has officially closed on TourWest’s 2022 cycle, WESTAF is now in the process of securing a diverse group of panelists to review submissions. Panels are anticipated to take place mid-July, with WESTAF providing support for the administration of an organization’s regional touring programs. TourWest has received numerous applications form organizations throughout the region, with all western states represented. California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington entered 20 or more applications. Hawaii, Nevada, and Wyoming organizations applied the least, with fewer than 10 applications. Overall, 24.2% organizations hired Indigenous artists. In support of Western Arts Alliance’s Advancing Indigenous Performance Program, TourWest remains to be one of the leaders of supporting Indigenous artists throughout the country. Upcoming Social Responsibility and Inclusion Department Events
WESTAF’s Social Responsibility and Inclusion Team (SRI) supports equity-centered learning experiences and funding opportunities that connect and inspire leaders and communities to build a more inclusive arts and culture sector, strengthen the arts field, and catalyze change. In an effort to share experiences, knowledge and resources, the SRI team will be holding virtual gatherings this summer into early fall to engage with grantees and networks. Please “save the date” for any of the gatherings included on the event schedule that pertain to you!

WESTAF WEB SERVICES                                 
ZAPP Launches Embeddable Galleries
The ZAPP team recently launched a frequently requested feature: embeddable galleries! This feature allows event organizers to display the artists’ works and also provides visitors with their booth numbers. ZAPP is excited to continue to find innovative ways to not only connect artists with art events but to also highlight the works of artists attending these events.
Learn more

Updated Interface for CaFÉ Jurors and More New Features 
After making several significant improvements to the site for administrators last year, CaFÉ has now updated the site for jurors! In addition to refreshing the design and colors to match the rest of the CaFÉ interface, additional updates were made to improve the jury experience. Read more about this update and other new features for administrators in our blog! 
Read the latest blog

CaFÉ Website Updated with Art from Recharge the Arts Campaign
Earlier this year, CaFÉ held a call to recognize the hardships of the pandemic, ongoing racial injustice, climate change, and more brought to the artist community. This new artwork, gathered from CaFÉ’s Recharge the Arts campaign, is now highlighted throughout the CaFÉ website.
See the updated CaFÉ site

Public Art Archive Leads Roundtable at Americans for the Arts Annual Convention
On May 18, Public Art Archive Program Manager Lori Goldstein hosted a roundtable discussion at the Americans for the Arts (AFTA) annual convention in Washington, D.C., Activating Data: Creative Strategies and New Approaches to Digital Public Art Collection Management. The conversation focused on how the pandemic has highlighted the importance and urgency around providing publicly accessible experiences of public art. The discussion also illuminated how public art platforms showcase collections and potentially activate public agency, inciting positive change in the public space, prior to inception and after installation and removal.
 
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