All state and jurisdictional arts agency and regional arts organization executives are strongly encouraged to participate. Here are some of the benefits that the forum offers:
Your participation increases recognition for your state and helps you develop relationships and resources that will benefit your agency and its constituents in the future.
Unlike other arts conferences or executive training programs, this NASAA forum is focused on public-sector leadership. The program will offer an abundance of practical and creative ideas you can use to strengthen your agency’s role in state government and enhance your services to the citizens of your state.
The Executive Forum agenda will be put together with input from executive directors and deputy directors to reflect the current needs of state arts agency leadership. From the very beginning of the process, the agenda is designed to leverage the needs and knowledge of multiple states to create a collaborative learning experience.
State arts agencies are grappling with complicated and sensitive issues—the kinds of challenges that require time for reflection and deeper conversations, in a setting where candor and trust can be built. A skillfully facilitated face-to-face forum will address these needs in ways that a typical conference structure cannot.
The Executive Forum agenda will focus on priority issues facing the state arts agency field. We’ll equip participants to navigate issues such as:
Communicating about the impact of our agencies; cultivating support and trust across the political spectrum; managing controversies; exploring the latitudes and limitations of state arts agency leaders
Navigating different community needs, constraints and “speeds of trust”; dealing with push-back; grant-making strategies; competition for resources
Coping with staff stress/burnout; building cohesive and resilient staff teams
What’s arising in real time as we are convening