Media Advisory: NEA Presents Live Webcast of Cultural Workforce Forum
11/19/2009
Contact Info :  Rebecca Moore
Email :  Rebecca.Moore@ncdcr.gov
Phone :  919-807-6530

The National Endowment for the Arts has announced a day-long webcast on the cultural workforce, Friday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (www.arts.gov). The forum will reinforce the importance of artists and cultural workers nationally, and will address the way that art works as part of this country's real economy.

Academics, foundation professionals and service organization representatives will discuss improving the collection and reporting of statistics about arts and cultural workers and will work to develop future research agendas and approaches.

For the full schedule and list of participants, please see the full media advisory below or at http://www.arts.gov/news/news09/cultural-workforce-forum.html.

We will be making related and timely, news next week in Charlotte. Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle and Department of Commerce Secretary J. Keith Crisco will unveil a new study about North Carolina's Creative Industry.

The announcement is scheduled Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the McColl Center for the Visual Arts, 721 North Tryon Street, Charlotte.

We hope you can join us as the latest job figures for the creative industry are announced, as well as data about the contributions of creative workers and businesses in the state.

The new study quantifies what would be missing from North Carolina's economy without creative industries, such as jobs, the market value of cultural goods/services, and quality of life factors that encourage other growth sectors of the economy, such as business relocation and retention.

Representatives of many of the industry categories included in the analysis -artists, video and music industry, architecture, internet publishing and Web designers, fashion apparel, historical preservation - will be on hand.

We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte on Tuesday, Nov. 24. If you have any questions or need additional information, contact: Rebecca.Moore@ncdcr.gov.

Parking at the McColl Center:

Option One:

Free parking is available in the parking lot of Heels.com, located on the corner of 11th Street and North Tryon. (Please do not park directly in front of the store or park in a way that blocks the loading dock.)

Option Two:

Free parking is available at the McColl Center on the corner of 10th and Church Streets. Access is from 10th Street.

Option Three:
Walk or take the Gold Rush to the McColl Center -- this is the best option for individuals who work in the Center City.

About the North Carolina Arts Council

The North Carolina Arts Council works to make North Carolina The Creative State where a robust arts industry produces a creative economy, vibrant communities, children prepared for the 21st century and lives filled with discovery and learning. The Arts Council accomplishes this in partnership with artists and arts organizations, other organizations that use the arts to make their communities stronger and North Carolinians—young and old—who enjoy and participate in the arts. For more information visit www.ncarts.org.

The N.C. Arts Council is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities and the vision to harness the state's cultural resources to build North Carolina's social, cultural and economic future. Information on Cultural Resources is available at www.ncculture.com