Celebrate Iowa's Culture at the "Imagine Iowa 2010: Great Places" Cultural Caucus Public Celebration
For Immediate Release October 27, 2004
DES MOINES— A day-long celebration and symposium of
arts, culture, and historic preservation will explore how Iowans can use cultural
assets to strengthen the quality of life in their communities. The "Imagine
Iowa 2010: Great Places" Cultural Caucus Public Celebration will be held
Monday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the State Historical Building, 600 E.
Locust, Des Moines. Registration is only $30 ($20 for students) and includes lunch,
munchies and entertainment. For more information and to register online visit
www.culturalaffairs.org/culturalcaucus/index.htm
or call 515.281.4011.
The "Imagine Iowa 2010: Great Places" Cultural Caucus Public Celebration
will showcase cultural successes achieved by individuals and organizations across
the state. Participants will learn how to incorporate historic preservation, arts,
and business in a variety of ways to improve economic development, strengthen
cultural & tourist attractions, develop cultural & entertainment districts,
and more, to make Iowa a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Highlights of the day include:
- Keynote speaker Thomas Hylton, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Save Our Land, Save Our Towns, will discuss "smart growth" strategies used by many cities to revitalize and strengthen downtowns, cultural & business districts, and conserve precious land;
- How Cultural & Entertainment Districts fuse arts-based economic development and historic preservation;
- How others have made a difference in the cultural life of Iowans - listen to the success stories of culture-based programs, events and entrepreneurships that have succeeded in Iowa;
- The new Imagine Iowa 2010 plan to strengthen the cultural offerings and assets of Iowa. Many of the plan's goals and objectives are based upon the ground-breaking work of "creative economist" Richard Florida;
- Introduction of the new Cultural Trust Board and cultural leaders; and
- How you can help ensure Iowa's future cultural growth and quality of life!
"These caucuses are helping us to achieve the goals of Iowans who want to live in culturally vibrant communities," said Anita Walker, Director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
Held in a festive atmosphere of food, art, and music ranging from folk to hip-hop, the Cultural Caucus Public Celebration is a culmination of 11 regional caucuses held across the state. At each regional caucus, delegates were elected to assist the department in revising its strategic plan, and cultural success stories were gathered from each area. The November 8th event will present the work of the delegates in the form of the newly revised Imagine Iowa 2010 cultural plan, and the presentation of success stories will exemplify how specific goals of the plan have already been achieved through the vision, dedication, and hard work of Iowans.
Guests are invited to stay for a special Cultural Advocacy Training workshop hosted by the Iowa Cultural Coalition, beginning at 2 p.m. and are encouraged to participate in Cultural Advocacy Day Feb. 9.
The event is sponsored in part by Art Scene, Iowa's first and only independent, statewide publication dedicated exclusively to Iowa's arts and cultural scene.
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