40 North Director at Americans for the Arts Annual Convention
June 28, 2005
Champaign - Jennifer Armstrong, 40 North/88 West Executive Director and Chair of Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader Council, just returned from Austin, Texas, where she joined over 800 colleagues from across the country to demonstrate how the arts can be used to solve problems and strengthen communities.
Americans for the Arts annual convention--the largest gathering of local and state arts leaders in the nation--was held June 11-13, 2005. Hosted by the Texas Commission on the Arts, the convention, entitled "Leading the Charge," focused on establishing and building partnerships with local, state, and national stakeholders to strengthen our nation’s neighborhoods and cities. Community arts and business leaders attended to hear noted speakers, share experiences, and build specific skills.
Keynote speakers included:
Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink
Alejandro Escovedo, artist, and Edward L. Bailey, Vice President of Brand Development at Austin City Limits
Peggy Conlon, President and CEO at the Advertising Council
“Austin is the perfect backdrop for cultural leaders to showcase the arts as a powerful community development tool,” stated Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “It serves as a beacon for arts leaders and communities everywhere.”
An Art Car Parade down Austin’s Congress Avenue kicked off the annual convention, as some 50 unique art cars gathered for the parade and were on display throughout the inaugural evening. The convention also included the annual Innovator Series, featuring one-on-one interviews with Moy Eng, Donald Byrd, Ben Cameron, and Louis Black; tours of Austin’s exciting cultural sites; appearances by local artists; and events throughout Austin.
A highlight of the convention was a documentary created on-site by filmmaker Bart Weis. Jennifer Armstrong and Champaign-Urbana were prominently featured in the film that was presented at the final convention keynote luncheon.
Prior to the conference, the Emerging Leader Council hosted a preconference: Emerging Leadership: Vision. Action. Evolution. New, young and diverse arts leaders from across the country shared their vision of the future of the arts and developed personal and professional mission statements, goals and action strategies.
Additional sponsors for Leading the Charge include: Applied Materials, Hilton Austin, The Irving Arts Center, National Endowment for the Arts, City of Austin, Delta Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Texas Cultural Trust, and Texas Instruments.
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 40 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at http://www.americansforthearts.org/.