How Creative Communities Can Help Build a Diversified Local Economy
Gord Hume, Author, Cultural Planning for Creative Communities, London, ON
Cultural Planning is becoming recognized as one of the important new tools for progressive municipalities. It supports economic development, the four pillars of sustainability, and it helps towns and cities focus and refocus on their strategic priorities and community development. Join expert Gord Hume as he describes the importance of cultural planning for municipalities, explains the process and steps in developing your own cultural plan, and gives mini case studies of smaller communities that have utilized cultural planning effectively.
What’s so great about Creative Economy? Organic to Organized and Everything In Between
Jeremy Freiburger, Executive Director, Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts, Hamilton, ON
Communities around the world are analyzing ways to engage culture and creativity to drive economic change and community vitality. Cultural planners and economic development experts trumpet the power of plans, zones and strategies. Creative communities often call for less political involvement and organic engagement.
So what really works? What does "working" look like? Jeremy will explore creative industry development in a number of communities and take you to the streets in Hamilton currently being revitalized through cultural growth.
How to Guide: Plan for Creativity
Gord Hume, Author, Cultural Planning for Creative Communities, London, ON
Gord Hume will host this interesting break-out session following his keynote speech. This will focus on specific actions and examples for municipal leaders on cultural mapping, cultural planning, integrating with economic development and other key civic departments, and how to better utilize creative thinking inside your city hall.
Case Study: Creative Muskoka
David Brushey, Executive Director, Muskoka Futures (CFDC),
Creative Muskoka is a platform for collaboration among champions of the arts and culture, environment and creative economy in Muskoka. This session will provide an overview of how Creative Muskoka developed, its vision, the recent study of the Creative Economy in Muskoka and where Creative Muskoka is heading. In 2010, Creative Muskoka, partnered with Muskoka Community Futures Development Corporation, the District Municipality of Muskoka and the University of Toronto to examine the Creative Economy in Muskoka. With the results of the study released in May 2010, Creative Muskoka is now focusing on the recommendations from the study, and beginning to implement new initiatives.
T-shirts & Suits: Business and Creativity Go Hand-in-Hand
David Wybou, Small Business Consultant, RCCFDC, Pembroke, ON
Mike Thompson, Business Development Officer, RCCFDC, Pembroke, ON
Competing for Creative Talent
Lynne Campbell, Vice President, Human Resources, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Chalk River, ON
Big or small, technical or service-oriented, all businesses face challenges recruiting and retaining quality employees. In this session, participants will get an inside look at some key strategies, important considerations and unique challenges in attracting skilled, creative workers to the Ottawa Valley from a leading employer. The session will wrap up with an interactive discussion, encouraging participants to share their challenges, best practices and ideas with the group.
Keeping Up with Technology
Rob Campbell, Owner, Tips Unlimited, Renfrew, ON
We’re not into Economic Development so why should we care?
Keanan Hunt, Community Development Officer, RCCFDC, Pembroke, ON
The challenges our society faces cannot be met—nor our opportunities fully realized—by any one organization or sector alone. Effective collaboration between non-profits, government and social agencies, businesses and the public is an imperative for economic and community development initiatives to be successful.
This workshop will highlight successes, opportunities and strategies for cross-sector collaboration, providing practical examples and tools that enable grassroots community development. Participants will complete a short, fun appreciative inquiry exercise and will be given an opportunity for interactive discussion. The goal of this session is to start discovering what it takes to build a truly strong, healthy, vibrant community from the inside out.
Get Creative: Inspiring Local Communities
Paul Portelli, Artist, Hastings, ON
How many times have you said “I’m not creative”? The truth is, really, you are. Throughout history, we have regarded artists, writers, poets and other creative people as somehow different from and mysterious to the rest of us. If you believe you’re just not the creative type and there’s no point even trying to think or act creatively, then this becomes one of the biggest road blocks to your creativity. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest to get around; provided you’re prepared to make a shift in your mindset. In this one hour session you will get to understand just what right brain function is and how easy it is to think in that mode with a few exercises. You‘ll begin to realize that you already are using your right brain capabilities every day.
It’s all about Change
Yves Doyon, Owner/Consultant, GDM Group, Sudbury, ON
Whatever the context, creating sustainable change is always a challenge. Yves Doyon, facilitator, consultant and principal with the GDM Group, proposes a practical workshop that will allow you to develop your capacity to plan and manage your projects. This session will give you specific steps, essential ingredients and basic principals to help you create the change you want to see.
E-marketing: Real Strategies for Marketing Online
Jennifer Layman, Owner, Forward Thinking, Pembroke, ON
There are many opinions on how to use the Internet to your marketing advantage, but most are written as if you have all day to be online while someone else runs your business. Join Forward Thinking for a one-hour discussion on how to realistically use the Internet to your marketing advantage. You will leave with strategies you can implement immediately, and we’ll help you navigate through the crazy world of e-marketing.
Social Media Panel: Learn from Experience
Panellists TBD
Social Media can be a valuable tool in promoting your business, organization, or event, for staying connected to key people in your network, and for learning about new and exciting trends that could affect your community. This Panel Discussion will explore the use of Social Media in rural communities, addressing the question: “What is the best way you use Social Media as an effective tool to establish rapport with patrons, across the Ottawa Valley and beyond?”
Social Media & You – Growing your Business or Organization
Matt LeMay, Owner, LeMay Media / Executive Director, Labour Market Group of Renfrew & Lanark, Pembroke, ON
This workshop is designed with the goal to teach you HOW to use social media to grow your business or organization. The goal of this workshop is to assist participants by teaching practical knowledge of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Cal and Google Docs, Skype and LinkedIn. The workshop will use custom‐made tutorials to show exactly what these programs look like and what they can do. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how social media tools can help grow your business, organization or event.
Light Bulbs: What’s next for Creativity in the Ottawa Valley? Bringing it all together…
Yves Doyon, Owner/Consultant, GDM Group, Sudbury, ON
Conferences are filled with inspiring words, lofty ideas, and great plans. Then you say goodbye and go back to the real world of emails, voice mails, and overwhelming demands on your time and attention. Desired change gets put on the back burner. Not this time! During this highly interactive session you’ll have the opportunity to sort through your ideas, set priorities, find resources, and insure accountability for action – all while having fun.
Open Space Technology is a method of holding meetings that develops leadership and confidence. This method is inspired by principles that open communication and incite respect. Outcomes are enhanced by benefits derived from the richness of informal communication and from the freedom accorded to individuals to choose how best to contribute. The creative and relaxed atmosphere supports learning. The pleasure of working together nourishes self motivation even after the meeting. Open Space takes us away from the beaten paths. |
