WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:03.970 My name is Lisa Scails and I'm the executive director 2 00:00:03.970 --> 00:00:06.960 for the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, 3 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:10.880 and we are a regional service arts organization 4 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:12.550 based in Danbury. 5 00:00:12.550 --> 00:00:13.670 We're a member organization. 6 00:00:13.670 --> 00:00:14.833 We have 300 members. 7 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.240 line:15% Of those, about 50 or so are organizations, 8 00:00:20.240 --> 00:00:22.253 line:15% performance art organizations, 9 00:00:23.690 --> 00:00:27.120 line:15% museums and history groups, libraries even. 10 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:29.400 And then the rest of our membership 11 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:33.900 represents visual and performing artists, 12 00:00:33.900 --> 00:00:37.100 framers, architects, designers, and things like that. 13 00:00:37.100 --> 00:00:41.820 line:15% Marketing is a huge priority in our region, 14 00:00:41.820 --> 00:00:43.760 line:15% particularly in the area that we serve 15 00:00:43.760 --> 00:00:45.070 line:15% with everything being all spread out. 16 00:00:45.070 --> 00:00:48.790 line:15% So we market the region through a product that we have 17 00:00:48.790 --> 00:00:50.610 called Arts Western News and Events. 18 00:00:50.610 --> 00:00:52.980 It's an online publication once a month. 19 00:00:52.980 --> 00:00:56.210 So if anybody wants to know what's going on in the area, 20 00:00:56.210 --> 00:00:58.160 we're a really great place to find out. 21 00:00:59.210 --> 00:01:01.500 And then the second thing is 22 00:01:01.500 --> 00:01:05.640 we provide leadership development for our members 23 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:08.240 line:15% and the greater business community, 24 00:01:08.240 --> 00:01:10.040 line:15% particularly creative entrepreneurs. 25 00:01:11.699 --> 00:01:15.190 line:15% We partner with other stakeholders in the area 26 00:01:15.190 --> 00:01:18.870 line:15% like SCORE and other business leaders. 27 00:01:18.870 --> 00:01:21.000 Microsoft is another example. 28 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:25.110 And we provide workshop business development opportunities 29 00:01:25.110 --> 00:01:28.810 for either organizations or creative entrepreneurs 30 00:01:28.810 --> 00:01:29.900 to take advantage of. 31 00:01:29.900 --> 00:01:31.850 Programming development is a big part 32 00:01:31.850 --> 00:01:33.880 of what we do for our workshops 33 00:01:33.880 --> 00:01:36.180 and for our networking opportunities. 34 00:01:36.180 --> 00:01:38.890 So reaching out to the community and finding experts 35 00:01:38.890 --> 00:01:43.890 to be able to provide professional development is important. 36 00:01:44.470 --> 00:01:48.400 line:15% A lot of what we do is all about engagement. 37 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:53.270 line:15% It's important for us to stay connected to the community 38 00:01:55.210 --> 00:01:58.040 line:15% in order for people to either find out 39 00:01:58.040 --> 00:02:00.920 about what we're doing or stay up-to-date 40 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:02.870 with what we're doing. 41 00:02:02.870 --> 00:02:06.060 And we do that in a variety of different ways, 42 00:02:06.060 --> 00:02:07.730 physically being out in the community, 43 00:02:07.730 --> 00:02:10.260 networking with business professionals, 44 00:02:10.260 --> 00:02:13.520 line:15% and maintaining relationships with the arts community, 45 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:16.650 line:15% the arts leadership in all 10 towns. 46 00:02:16.650 --> 00:02:18.920 line:15% But we also do it online through 47 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:22.500 line:15% digital channels, 48 00:02:22.500 --> 00:02:25.820 social media and email and things like that, 49 00:02:25.820 --> 00:02:27.490 so technology is an important part 50 00:02:27.490 --> 00:02:28.883 of how we get things done.