Nurturing and Harvesting Creativity | I Acknowledgments Artists, Artisans, and Entrepreneurs: Creative Economy of the East Central Vermont Region
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Nurturing and Harvesting Creativity | i Acknowledgments Artists, Artisans, and Entrepreneurs: Creative Economy of the East Central Vermont Region Prepared for Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission and the East Central Vermont Economic Development District By Michael Kane Consulting, Inc: Stuart Rosenfeld and Michael Kane with Stephen Michon and Mia Candy Creative Economy Steering Committee: • Eric Bunge, Managing Director, Northern Stage - White River Junction • Caitlin Christiana, Executive Director, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Jeweler • Joan Ecker, Owner, Fat Hat Clothing Company - Quechee and White River Junction • Robert Flint, Executive Director, Springfield Regional Development Corporation - Springfield • Peter Gregory, Executive Director, TRORC- Woodstock • Paul Haskell, TRORC Board Member - Sharon • Robert Haynes, Executive Director, Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation - Hartford • Julie Iffland, Executive Director, Randolph Area Community Development Corporation - Randolph • Elliott Kautz, Artist - Lebanon, NH • Carol Lighthall, Executive Director, Springfield On the Move - Springfield • Anni Mackay, Owner, Big Town Gallery - Rochester • Michelle Ollie, President and Co-founder, Center for Cartoon Studies, White River Junction • Bridgett Taylor, Executive Director, SafeArt - Chelsea • Monique Priestley, Owner, MÉPRIESTLEY Digital and Graphic Design • Frank Tegethoff, Product Development, King Arthur Flour - Norwich • Katie Trautz, Executive Director, Chandler Center for the Arts - Randolph • Chris Wood, Director, Building a Local Economy - Royalton Cover Images: 2016 Slider-Spantaloons ©F.H. Clothing Co. | Cast of Mary Poppins ©Northern Stage | Mark Strand, Poet Laureate, Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1990 ©Big Town Gallery | Center for Cartoon Studies ©Center for Cartoon Studies | Upper Pass Beer Company ©Upper Pass Beer Company | So.802 Ribbon Cutting ©Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce | Children at Play ©SafeArt Back Cover Image: ©Michael Kane, Stu Rosenfeld, and Beth Siegel of Mt. Auburn Associates Layout and Design by Loralee Morrow, Regional Planner, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) i | Creative Economy of Vermont’s East Central Vermont - 2016 Contents Nurturing and harvesting creativity 1 The big picture: an overview of findings 9 Creative businesses and enterprises 9 How extensive is the region’s creative economy? 13 Some results from surveying creative enterprises 23 Digging deeper: segmenting the creative industries 27 The art and business of the written word 27 Literary arts summary conclusions 32 The soul of creativity: arts and crafts 33 Arts & crafts summary conclusions 37 Food and art: food as art 38 Food as art summary conclusions 45 Making better things: design and fashion 46 Design and fashion summary conclusions 53 Preserving and exhibiting culture and heritage 54 Museum and heritage summary conclusions 57 The media arts 58 Media arts summary conclusions 63 Taking art to the public: the performing arts 63 Performing arts summary conclusions 71 Convergence and innovation 73 In support of the creative economy 79 Goals and action strategies 105 Appendices available at: http://www.ecvedd.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CE-Appendices.pdf Creative Economy of Vermont’s East Central Vermont - 2016 | ii iii | Creative Economy of Vermont’s East Central Vermont - 2016 1. Nurturing and Harvesting Creativity Organizations and individuals within Lacking the resources and support the East Central Vermont Economic available to other more conventional Two Steps Development District (ECVEDD) have sectors, creative industries have not made Forward, One been involved in one way or another in the progress hoped for by the hundreds Step Back the creative economy for over 20 years. of citizens, including many from the area Suggestions made Following the report on New England’s served by the ECVEDD Region that took in the past included creative economy in 2000, Vermont, part in the various planning processes. a Vermont Cultural and many of its towns and regions now Coordinating accept the fact that creative enterprises What is different today? Council and a are an important part of their economies. Many people from the Region participated Governor appointed Citizens who have participated in regional in the early efforts with enthusiasm and nonpartisan Vermont Creative meetings to learn about the economic expectations. But those discussions and Economy and cultural value of the arts and those proposed solutions took place Commission. creativity, make thoughtful, potentially more than a decade ago. Conditions Yet few of the effective, recommendations, and even have changed, in some instances quite organizational take some steps, however tentatively, to dramatically. Manufacturing has continued suggestions have convert the ideas into economic growth. to move offshore or automate, and taken root. The state’s Office of the Creative Economy is no more and the Vermont Council on Rural Development, an early driver of creative communities, is still supportive but has redirected its focus. The Vermont Arts Council, which is not a state agency, is carrying most of the load and remains interested in broadening its core base but lacks the funding for any major expansion. ©Safeart | Chelsea Nurturing and Harvesting Creativity | 1 “Vermont is a unique place. Here you have a cheese maker with a PhD. A farmer who studied at Vermont Law School, an engineer who sculpts. Such pockets of novelty! It is a place where the mind can flourish.” ~Forrest MacGregor more people are turning to creative and tightly link their brands to the Region’s Creative innovative jobs or self-employment and topography, agriculture, unique history Industries combinations of part-time sources of and heritage, and its casual, relaxed Contribute to income. culture. The Vermont brand epitomizes the Economy authenticity. • A source What are the Region’s characteristic of regional strengths? 3. Appropriately Innovative: Innovation employment 1. Artisanal: As the corporate mass remains a key driver of rural • Contributes to production that invaded rural America economies, but not the popular notion the competitive in the latter half of the 20th century of innovation driven by universities advantage in disappears, its earlier strengths in an and research and development and other sectors artisanal production base is being re- measured by patents. The Region • Attracts discovered. The Region is well ahead embodies a creative type of user and retains of the game, with an economy that innovation that is driven by changing businesses, has been quintessentially artisanal interests, needs, and markets, by the tourists, and for a long time. The Region already increasing importance of participation talent depends heavily on its micro and and experience, and by social media • As a source of small businesses. Many of these are and the affordability of desktop inspiration and innovative hybrids with diverse creative technologies like 3-D printers. innovation talents that can generate expanded • As an markets. This hybrid industrial model is 4. Sustainable: Vermont has developed a opportunity for a large part of the state’s and Region’s reputation for sustainability that goes under-served brand. “Vermont is a unique place. hand in hand with the shift to more people and Here you have a cheese maker with a place-based, artisanal products and places PhD. A farmer who studied at Vermont efforts to protect its local heritage. Law School, an engineer who sculpts. Ever since Act 2502 was passed in 1970 Such pockets of novelty! It is a place regulating development, Vermont where the mind can flourish.” ~Forrest has been branded positively by its MacGregor1 protection of the environment and its heritage, both of which converge with 2. Authentic: Vermont is the the Region’s focus on and interests of quintessential authentic state, and the creative economy. the ECVEDD Region embraces that inherent authenticity of its culture and 5. Dispersed Creativity: The Region’s economy in ways that other regions creative talent is found spread among only aspire to emulate. Businesses its many communities, disciplines, 2 | Creative Economy of Vermont’s East Central Vermont - 2016 and enterprises. It's not only among creativity is homegrown, like VerShare,* those who generate income directly born out of economic necessity. Even from their artistic talents, but it’s also though it appears to be concentrated evident in how they brand and run in places such as Woodstock and more their businesses and how they spend recently White River Junction, many their leisure time. Some of this creative smaller and less wealthy communities talent is a result of immigration, are home to pockets of creative talented people from other places enterprises. seeking a more compatible and supportive environment. Some of the * VerShare: Enhancing the spirit of community involvement; fostering economic development; contributing to projects to benefit the residents of Vershire, Vermont. Barrette Center for the Arts | White River Junction | ©Northern Stage Nurturing and Harvesting Creativity | 3 “I still don’t really know what the creative economy is… I think it just means entrepreneurs doing creative stuff on their own: the power of the little person.” ~Matt Bucy 6. Permeable Boundaries: Even though to success, (1) enhancing the Vermont economic measures specify certain brand by supporting and strengthening towns, for the businesses and people the unique