SCENARIO PLANNING
& COLLABORATION What’s in Store for Martin County’s Arts Sector?
The arts and cultural sector worldwide is navigating uncertain times. The same is true for the artists, nonprofit arts organizations, creative entrepreneurs, and the other businesses that make up the greater arts and cultural sector in Martin County. “I found this tremendous resource which places a framework around the uncertainty we have been facing,” stated executive director Nancy Turrell when explaining the Wallace Foundation’s with AEA Consulting to explore scenario planning as a tool to develop scenario planning to help the sector prepare for other future crises. The Community Foundation Martin – St. Lucie agreed and was able to support our request to hire AEA Consulting to offer a series of 3 virtual workshops for our nonprofit leaders through their Nonprofit Leadership Fund. In the introduction of the AEA report for Wallace they set the scene: “The COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-racist protests are themselves drivers in what the future will look like. These events will impact our future in many ways, accelerating some existing trends while creating others that are altogether new. While not every trend will be impacted by the virus or the protests, the future state of the cultural sector will be a composite of the various macro drivers identified.” The three workshops are scheduled March – April, 2021 and a final document will summarize the discussion and outcomes to guide future direction. Daniel Payne, managing principal, AEA Consulting, explained, “this would allow the County’s artists and arts organizations to deliberate specifically about the structural issues that have been in the background of their work for many years – but have been made urgent by the impacts of the COVID-10 pandemic.” “We are excited to bring this vast resource to benefit our local arts sector and look forward to the outcomes we collectively set,” stated Turrell. She continued “considering positive and negative influences on our sector - health crises, major natural disasters and funding challenges - will make us stronger together and more resilient.”
34 | Martin Arts | Spring | Summer | 2021
Workshop Participants: Lynne Barletta, Founder and Director, Visionary School of Arts Barbara Bucci, Board Member, Martin Artisans Guild Abigail Flood, Director of Development and Marketing, Florida Oceanographic Tammy Calabria, Executive Director, Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast Robin Cartwright, Director of Operations, Community Foundation Martin – St Lucie Kia Fontaine, Executive Director, Lyric Theatre Katie Gianni, Artist, Fine Art Framer, Board Member the Creek District of Arts & Entertainment Jennifer Hearn, Arts Programs Manager, Arts Council of Martin County Jennifer Jones, Co-Founder and Artistic Director, StarStruck Theatre Dennis McGeady, President, The Barn Theatre Dennis O’Donovan, President and Director, A.C.T. Studio Theatre Linda Reymore, Executive Director, Treasure Coast Youth Symphony Jennifer Salas, Director, Martin County Library System Tasha P. Shirley, Executive Director, Wings to Fly Dance Company Robert Steele, President & CEO, Historical Society of Martin County Nancy K. Turrell, Executive Director, The Arts Council of Martin County Dottie Williams, Board Chair, Treasure Coast Community Singers
