Arts Commission announces speakers for tri-state Community Change through the Arts colloquium     

(Indianapolis, Indiana) – The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced today a roster of 15 guest speakers and presenters for a two-day colloquium on strategies for building diversity in arts organizations among communities with increasing numbers of culturally, geographically, and socially diverse and access-challenged residents.

The IAC, in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center will present the tri-state colloquium “Embracing Community Change through the Arts,” April 18 & 19, 2013.

Speakers will include a keynote address from Eduardo Diaz, Director of the Smithsonian Latino Center, exploring how arts organizations can broaden their reach and include all community facets to advance initiatives. A complete list of speakers can be found on the IAC website: http://www.in.gov/arts/2659.htm .

The first day of the colloquium will highlight best practices for embracing these changes through leadership development, decision making, programming, and community involvement. Day two will focus on practical planning tools for participating communities to take the initial steps towards a community plan.

The goal of the colloquium is to give attendees a sense of how their communities are changing and provide tools to take actionable steps to embrace those changes together.

“As is the case in much of the country, our three states continue to change in their composition of culturally, geographically, and socially diverse and access-challenged residents,” said IAC Executive Director Lewis C. Ricci. “The arts have long prided themselves in finding ways to be inclusive for all people. We believe arts organizations in our states are looking for ways to broaden their reach to include all community facets in the make-up of their leadership, decision making, programming and community involvement.”

Registration fee is $50 per person or $125 per team of three. Registration will open soon. Please visit: http://www.in.gov/arts/2659.htm for a complete list of presenters and registration information.

“Embracing Community Change through the Arts” is made possible with the generous support of The Joyce Foundation: Improving the Quality of Life for People in the Great Lakes Region and Across the Country. Learn more at www.joycefdn.org . Additional support is provided by: The Indiana Arts Commission, the Ohio Arts Council, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Arts Midwest, the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, the Notre Dame Center for Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Indiana Arts Commission is dedicated to the vision of the arts everywhere, every day, for everyone in Indiana.

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