The Arts Empower – AFTA Conference Recap

By Krishna Adams, Director of Visual Arts, Craft, Media and Design –

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Americans for the Arts (AFTA) annual conference for the first time. Among other arts advocates from across the country, I had the opportunity to network and learn the most current best practices and programs for the arts.

The conference centered around the idea that arts empower people. With sessions such as Empowering Equity and Encouraging Innovation Through the Arts and Empowering the Future through the Arts,  the thread of the arts offering opportunity, inspiration and sustainability was strong throughout the conference.

Arts leaders from around the nation were present to host sessions and provide useful and thought provoking information and points-of-view. Speakers included: Jane Chu, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts; Robert Lynch, President and CEO of AFTA; Michelle T. Boone, Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; and Tom Finkelpearl, Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

Overall, I found the conference extremely informative and a great privilege to attend. I look forward to sharing and integrating concepts from the conference for the arts and communities in Tennessee.

5 core themes of the conference, as provided by AFTA:

• Translating Impact: How do we best articulate the impact of the arts?
• Transforming Models: How do we improve arts organizations’ resiliency?
• Empowering Culture: How do we ensure that all communities are served by the arts?
• Creating Tomorrow: How can the arts be a part of creating a better future?
• Building Skills: What are the primary skills needed to succeed in the arts today?