Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission Announces Statewide Engagement Sessions

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland today announced that the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) is engaging communities in the creation of a statewide strategic plan for developing the creative arts industry in Kansas.

The first two public engagement sessions will be held  in Garden City, on Monday, March 21 at 6:00pm and in Wichita, on Tuesday, March 22 at 5:30pm. Three additional public engagement sessions will be held in Kansas City, Salina, and Southeast Kansas. Details for the additional three sessions will be announced in the coming weeks. More information about the public engagement sessions and registration can be found at the KCAIC Strategic Planning 2022 site.

To best develop and deploy resources, a successful plan will re-imagine the place culture holds in Kansas communities; expand the role the arts play in achieving local priorities; build and support statewide infrastructure for the creative sector; and outline broad, high-impact strategies that Kansans see as necessary for individuals and communities to thrive.

“This effort will establish a shared vision and create an actionable plan for developing and elevating the arts industry across the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “The creative arts industries are essential to the vibrancy, growth and prosperity of our communities. We need the public and partners throughout the state to participate in the development of this strategic plan.”

“We are at a unique time when communities and institutions can re-imagine the ways arts and culture contribute to a vision of sustained and equitable prosperity for all they serve,” said Peter Jasso, Director of the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. “These sessions will serve as a critical first step in determining how Kansas can collectively harness the creative capacity of its citizens towards a unified vision of growth and development.”

The engagement sessions and strategic planning process are being facilitated by a team from the Community Engagement Institute at Wichita State University and the Center for Performance and Civic Practice. The goal of the Community Engagement Institute is to promote best practices in organizations and communities interested in improving people’s lives, as well as fostering connections with community partners looking to create positive change. The Center for Performance and Civic Practice (CPCP) is a national resource for artists and communities working together for arts-based, community-led transformation.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas in 2021 was awarded Site Selection Magazine’s Governor’s Cup award, Area Development Magazine’s Gold Shovel award and was named Site Selection Magazine’s Best Business Climate in the West North Central region of the United States. Find the Department’s strategic plan for economic growth here: Kansas Framework for Growth.