Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon Announces Fall Community Meeting

Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon Announces Fall Community Meeting

The Steering Committee of the Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon (AASO) invites all arts advocates, arts organizations, artists, gallery owners, arts nonprofit management and arts and culture enthusiasts to attend the organization’s 2015 Fall Community Meeting. Please join us in the Community Room at The Oregon Community Foundation on 818 W 8th Street in Medford on Friday, September 18th from 4:30–5:30pm.

Come network with AASO members, artists and arts advocates from throughout Jackson and Josephine Counties and get inspired by The Creative Network! The Steering Committee will share updates regarding the growth of the organization, distribute new rack cards, and share goals for the remainder of 2015 and beyond! We also invite interested individual artists and arts organizations to join the Alliance at the meeting. Membership costs only $20, and application forms will be available at the meeting.

Please bring business cards and promotional materials to share and distribute to the many arts organizers in attendance. There will be an opportunity to network and get inspired by the diverse and creative arts happenings right in our Southern Oregon region.

In the spring of 2013, leaders from various arts organizations gathered with a vision to strengthen partnership and improve communication for the benefit of the greater arts community. Since then, we have regularly held panel discussions, public meetings and steering committee meetings to gather input as to what the Arts Alliance should be and how it can best support the diverse arts community of southern Oregon. Meeting locations vary throughout Southern Oregon in Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Jacksonville, and Kerby in order to be accessible, encourage participation by the regional arts community, and demonstrate our commitment to being an inclusive, positive, communicative, creative, informative, collaborative, and valuable resource to the arts community and the public.

The Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon is an organization composed of artists, arts organizations, arts advocates, and the arts-loving public, dedicated to building a strong, creative, and sustainable Southern Oregon arts community. We accomplish this mission by:

Developing a strong, supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having art as a common interest.
Strengthening the economies of Southern Oregon communities by increasing the demand for art and increasing arts advocacy.
Supporting activities that raise awareness of the importance of the arts and create opportunities for all to participate in and experience the arts.

It is our goal to connect Jackson and Josephine County together through culture.  We realize this can have a significant economic impact on everyone who lives in the area, as well as tourists here for a short stay.

Our current steering committee includes Brooke Nuckles Gentekos, artist, arts advocate, and Executive Director of Sanctuary One in the Applegate Valley, Susan Burnes, President of the Board of Directors Grants Pass Museum of Art in Grants Pass, Joyce Abrams, President of the Southern Oregon Guild of Artists in Kerby, Anne Brooke, watercolorist and Founder/Director of Art Presence Art Center in Jacksonville, Hannah West, artist, arts advocate, web designer, Art Presence Board member and Founder of the Southern Oregon Artists Resource in Jacksonville, Denise Baxter, Executive Director of the Ashland Art Center in Ashland, Cammy Davis of It’s All About Art and southern Oregon art advocate in Jacksonville, Hyla Lipson, co-founder and chair of Artworks in Grants Pass, and Kim Hearon, Executive Director of the Rogue Gallery and Art Center in Medford.

2015 is the pilot year for the Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon. In spring 2015, we officially launched the organization and have been preparing for this by designing a website and creating marketing materials, continuing to streamline communication, and building membership with funding from memberships, business sponsors and a Small Arts & Culture Grant from the Oregon Community Foundation. We would like to express our gratitude to the Oregon Community Foundation for this grant that is helping us accomplish the Arts Alliance of Southern Oregon Launch.

Please visit our website: http://www.artsalliancesouthernoregon.org/ and like our Facebook page.