Re-establish the Art Center’s Identity for a 21st Century Audience

Increasing the number of guests and increasing the intensity of their learning and artistic experience will make the Art Center a premier art destination for the region. Interactive, immersive experiences, family fun, festivals, and art fairs are all ways to increase the public engagement and enjoyment of the Art Center.

The re-imagined Art Center, with its emphasis on public engagement and alignment with the City’s art and waterfront development plans, will create a new personality, and identity, for the Art Center. This new identity will need to be marketed to a wider audience. This CSD will also support the increasing and diversifying of audiences through improved marketing and public relations efforts.

  • 1 ACTION: Curate a roster of public events/programs to evaluate initiatives of varied offerings to include community favorites, family friendly, media worthy, and new artistic media that promote the core role of the arts in human-wellness and creative expression, as well as championing lifelong learning.
    • OUTCOME:
      • a. Develop systematic process for selecting partners and events/programs that include artistic, professional, and ethical standards as well as matching the goals of the Art Center.
      • b. Art and Food/Drink: Celebrate food as art in a food/drink centered event/festival, utilizing regional restaurants and or breweries.
      • c. Art and Technology: Implement a “when art meets technology” event that explore the contemporary intersection of art and technology, utilizing regional partners such as colleges.
      • d. Art and Family: Plan and schedule an additional family “Make-it” event(s) or programs (in addition to Art Safari in October) featuring family-friendly and educational experiences.
      • e. Experiment with “on the road” pop-up offerings to be located throughout the Waterfront and City.
  • 2 ACTION: Expand the artist studio program to better reflect contemporary best practices, diversity, and public interaction.
    • OUTCOME:
      • a. Design and implement an impeccable, credible, artist selection process to determine studio leases. Grounded in best practices, selection is based on art quality, ability to work and interact with the public, working for greater good of Art Center/community, and diversity including media, place in career, and personal background.
      • b. Similar to current “Post Grad Residency” at the Art Center, establish specific short-term studio residences for specific demographics such as career level or new media.
      • c. Offer artist professional and business development seminar(s) (open to all).
  • 3 ACTION: Expand role and impact of Target Gallery, the Art Center’s critically acclaimed contemporary art gallery the promote the core role of art in human wellness as expressed in Action 1 above.
    • OUTCOME:
      • a. Establish Target Gallery a focal point within the Art Center by merging marketing efforts and public facing interaction when in the building.
      • b. Develop new, newsworthy elements to the Target Gallery roster of exhibits.
  • ACTION: Establish new Art Center attributes towards a refined identity, maintaining an independent and unique marketing strategy and tools within the larger City framework.
    • OUTCOME:
      • a. Attributes should include:
        •  Unique
        • Dynamic
        • Vibrant
        • Family-friendly
        • Welcoming
        • Memorable
        • Diverse
        • Creative