WESTAF Update Notes #98 | July 2018
From Anthony Radich, Executive Director
This is the 98th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.

California Arts Council Funding Victory
The latest California state budget includes an $8.8 million increase for the California Arts Council. The increase, which can hopefully be retained in future years, was possible due the diligent work of the California Arts Advocates organization, working with a seasoned lobbyist and the Arts Council staff and board. WESTAF is pleased that the earned-income funds allocated to support California’s arts lobbyist helped make a difference again this year.

Historic WESTAF Film Made Available
In WESTAF’s early days, the organization sponsored a number of programs that sought to shine a spotlight on visual artists in the West. In 1984, a film was produced in conjunction with an exhibition of artists from the WESTAF region participating in a show that toured to Laramie, Wyoming; Denver, Colorado; El Paso, Texas; and several cities in Arizona. The film looks a bit dated these days, but it has some interesting footage that those who are familiar with WESTAF might enjoy. You can access it on WESTAF’s YouTube channel here. The film exposure is part of a multi-year project managed by long-time WESTAF associate Dinah Zeiger to organize and make available items in the WESTAF archive.

WESTAF and Arts Administration Programs
In late May, WESTAF Executive Director Anthony Radich traveled to Houston to participate in the Association of Arts Administration Educators conference. At the gathering, WESTAF organized a panel regarding ways in which directors of arts administration programs could make use of the Creative Vitality™ Suite tool and the extensive amount of creative economy data contained in it. Radich was joined by Constance DeVereaux, associate professor at the LEAP Institute for the Arts at Colorado State University, and Jennifer Shelby, a doctoral student in the Planning Department at the University of Colorado. WESTAF has commissioned DeVereaux to prepare a sample course that uses the Creative Vitality™ Suite to acquaint students with ways to use data accurately and effectively. For more information about this project, please contact Susan Gillespie at Susan.Gillespie@westaf.org.

The Surveys Are Out!
WESTAF’s various programs, particularly those working with clients in the technology area, regularly survey users to better understand their needs. This summer, WESTAF is sending out a flood of surveys in preparation for the upcoming once-every-three-years core WESTAF grant application to the National Endowment for the Arts. Over the years, responses to these surveys have helped guide WESTAF program development and recalibration of technology offerings and are most helpful in support of WESTAF’s NEA grant application.

WESTAF Strategic Plan Rollout
A major 18-month WESTAF planning effort has now been completed. In the coming year, WESTAF leadership is planning to meet with the governing boards of the state arts agencies in the region to inform them of how the new plan will impact their agencies. Meetings will also be held with other stakeholders. In addition, WESTAF is currently working to complete documentation of the planning process for those who have been inquiring about it. If you have not already seen it, you can view WESTAF’s new long range plan at here.

Emerging Leaders of Color Program Application Open
WESTAF is currently seeking participants for this all-expenses-paid, seventh annual convening to be held October 1-3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Candidates should be an arts administrator or a significantly arts-interested community member such as a volunteer or a public official that and has not had an opportunity to participate in high-quality professional development session. Additionally, they should self-identify as a person of color under the age of 35 (with some exceptions), have less than 10 years of experience working in the arts, and reside in the 13-state WESTAF region. Applicants can apply online at YouJudgeIt.org/WESTAFELC. Applications and endorsements must be submitted by Monday, August 20, 2018. For more information, please visit our website or contact Chrissy Deal, Manager of Multicultural Initiatives, at chrissy.deal@westaf.org or 303.629.1166.