HYANNIS – The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) is bringing the Creative Exchange to the region’s artistic and cultural community for the third straight year.
The one-day conference will take place Friday at the Tilden Arts Center at Cape Cod Community College.
Started in 2016, the Creative Exchange provides local artist, arts organizations, business owners, and community leaders with professional and personal development opportunities.
“It’s important to continue to educate the community as well as ourselves in the arts sector to make sure that we’re staying up on current events,” said AFCC Executive Director Julie Wake.
Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in sessions that center on industry trends which will include discussions on art as social commentary; using arts for therapy and healing; overcoming creative blocks; how to build an audience; eliminating the starving artist syndrome; and community engagement through iconic events.
Back by popular demand is a storytelling session that follows a Moth mainstage-style format and will showcase three locally-known storytellers: James Barnes, director of social enterprise at Cape Abilities Farm; performer Christine Ernst; and Cape Air CEO Dan Wolf.
This year’s keynote speaker is Elisa Hamilton, a multimedia artist whose practice focuses on the creation of inclusive artworks that emphasize shared spaces and the hopeful examination of our everyday places, objects, and experiences.
Hamilton is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design where she earned her BFA in Painting in 2007.
In 2017, Hamilton was honored by the Improper Bostonian as Boston’s Best Creative Catalyst.
Panelists for this year’s exchange include writer Susan Blood of Orleans; music producer and musician Jon Evans of Orleans; visual artists Laura Shabott of Provincetown and Joe Diggs of Osterville; singer/songwriter Anne Stott of Provincetown; photographer and painter Marian Roth of Provincetown.
The morning will kick off with a performance by Dance The Yard, a dance collective from Martha’s Vineyard.
The Creative Exchange, which begins with registration at 8 am and will conclude with an after-hours networking event, will include a Test Tube Lounge, allowing attendees to meet one-on-one with social media and technology experts to ensure they are maximizing their marketing efforts.
“This has been a really great person to learn new things but it’s also been a great place to network and connect with lots of arts leaders who are always looking to hire and connect with the community,” said Wake.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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