Statewide arts conference held in Dickson County

Nashville – The Dickson County Community Choir kicked off the state arts conference Tuesday night with a moving performance composed of several genres of music. The evening also included a brand presentation from the Tennessee Arts Commission and an interactive performance by Mawre & Co.

Becky Anderson, founding Director of HandMade in America, opened Wednesday with her inspiring keynote on weaving communities together with the threads of: community based tourism, community revitalization, the environment, inclusiveness and empowering all levels of education.

Executive Director Anne B. Pope introduced the Commission’s new five-year strategic plan prior to the lunchtime plenary session, What Works in The Arts: Three Foundation’s Perspectives. This panel included leaders from three of Tennessee’s largest foundations: Michael McClamroch, President and CEO, East Tennessee Foundation; Gretchen Wollert McLennon, Program Director for Authentic Assets and Communications, Hyde Family Foundation; and Ellen Lehman, President, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The panelists discussed how their regional the arts organizations are advancing community priorities through the arts.

The conference was also honored with the presence of Senate Majority Lead Mark Norris and State Treasurer David Lillard during the Tennesseans for the Arts (TFTA) presentation. They spoke on the development of the gift voucher to add to the current specialty license plate program. Sen. Norris also informed attendees of the happy news that he and Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey have declared October as arts and humanities month in Tennessee.

The conference will conclude Thursday with a session by Becky Anderson and Bill Strickland, President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation; and the final endnote by Gary Glazner, founder of The Institute for Dementia Education.