Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation and Illinois Arts Council co-convene statewide conference

'One State: Together in the Arts'         

[APRIL 13, 2005]  CHICAGO -- A one-of-a-kind conference for arts leaders from all disciplines and regions of Illinois is scheduled for May 12 and 13 at the Hyatt Regency at McCormick Place, near downtown Chicago. The Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council will co-convene "One State: Together in the Arts," the fourth biennial conference for staff and board members of nonprofit arts groups. Up to 400 arts managers, board members, educators, students and artists are expected to attend.

"The statewide planning committee has worked hard to ensure that conference attendees will walk away with immediate, applicable skills," said Lisa May Simpson, program director for Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation. "But there will also be ample opportunity for the kind of 'big picture' thinking that the day-to-day business of running an arts organization doesn't always allow for."

One such opportunity to "think big" will come on May 13 with keynote speaker Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist and cultural anthropologist, who is currently a professor of media culture at New York University. Rushkoff is a regular columnist for the New York Times Syndicate, a commentator for National Public Radio and the author of 10 books on media technology and popular culture, including "Cyberia," "Media Virus" and "Playing the Future," as well as the producer of the "Frontline" documentaries "The Merchants of Cool" and "The Persuaders." Rushkoff will address how marketing and public relations have come to shape American democracy and how the arts fit into an increasingly complex marketplace.

Local and national experts will lead sessions focusing on resources, participation and leadership. Featured workshops will address fundraising, financial planning for arts administrators, audience development and arts advocacy, as well as discussions about leadership transition, mentoring and the dynamic roles of the board and executive director. Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to visit local organizations for behind-the-scenes tours and in-depth discussions on fundraising, long-term collaborations, arts education and building community.

Underwriting by the Illinois Arts Council and other funders has kept registration fees low. Fees for the conference start at just $75 for individuals from organizations with budgets less than $250,000 and are based on a sliding scale according to budget size. Scholarships, funded by the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, are available.

"The 'One State: Together in the Arts' conference is a unique and important opportunity for arts leaders in our state," said Rose Parisi, supervising director for programs at the Illinois Arts Council and conference co-chair. "There is no other gathering like this where people from diverse organizations, regions and disciplines can come together to share ideas and learn from each other. As nonprofit arts organizations in Illinois continue to deal with a challenging fundraising environment and the many other stresses of running an arts organization, the conference is vital in providing opportunities for networking and building alliances amongst colleagues and leaders in the field."

The Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation is considered to be among the nation's most innovative and effective nonprofit statewide arts advocacy groups. The foundation is dedicated to strengthening nonprofit arts organizations, encouraging support for the arts and highlighting the benefits of the arts in Illinois communities. For more information about the foundation, visit www.artsalliance.org.

The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, is committed to the cultural, educational and economic growth of the diverse people and communities of Illinois through the support and encouragement of artists and the arts. For more information about the council, visit www.state.il.us/agency/iac.

To register for the conference, visit www.artsalliance.org/conference.shtml, call [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

[News release]