A few weeks ago, we finally launched artsScene Edmonton and artsScene Calgary! We were fortunate to be joined by the Honourable Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit, along with Nichole Anderson, President/CEO of Business for the Arts (and of course, my Edmonton co-chair, Michael Brechtel!).

Here’s some photos along with my introductory speech at the media launch that took place at the Citadel. It provides a good overview of what we have planned for artsScene Edmonton and artsScene Calgary. (Pics by 3TEN)

“I’m an entrepreneur, creative director, and member of a growing community of connected Albertans under 40 who call Edmonton and Calgary home. I’m part of a grassroots committee of young professionals across the arts and business community, all with a passion to transform Alberta into a world class center for artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and innovators.

Last year, I was invited to speak on a panel of next geners at the Canadian Arts Summit, which brings together board chairs and senior executives from the largest arts and cultural organizations across Canada. Moderated by Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, we discussed how the “net generation” of young people under 40 are shifting the role of audience, patron, and supporter of the arts and creative industries.

It was at the Summit that I was fortunate to meet Nichole Anderson, the President and CEO of Business for the Arts, from who I learned about the national initiative called artsScene that we would eventually bring to Alberta.

At its core, artsScene is about engaging young people to grow the arts through volunteerism, patronage and support, while fueling a new generation of arts leaders in Canada. With artsScene, we see an opportunity to not only expose young Albertans to the arts, but also to activate and connect a community of young people through great events in both cities.

Over the past ten months we’ve been assembling organizing committees in both Calgary and Edmonton, mapping out events, engaging partners, and most importantly, establishing a manifesto for artsScene in Alberta. It’s our call to action for young people in our community, and it has three main points.

The first point in our manifesto is that we believe that strong creative and artistic communities are linked to innovative and prosperous communities.

In Richard Florida’s book, “Who’s Your City?”, he references the idea of “mega-regions”, clusters of communities that generate the bulk of economic activity and are global magnets for top talent. The world’s 40 largest mega-regions account for 66% of global economic activity and 85% of global technological innovation, while housing just 18% of the world’s population.

Fast paced cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and Chicago lie at the heart of several mega-regions in North America, fueled by a mix of start-ups, corporations, and thriving arts scenes. It’s this perfect mix of creativity, business and innovation that makes these the communities of choice for young, world-class talent.

artsScene will bring young people together across disciplines and industries, through social events like our artsScene Parties, where we’ll showcase local emerging creatives like visual artist Patrick Higgins and music artist Roland Pemberton (better known as Cadence Weapon).

We’ll also attract world-class creatives to engage with our community through events such as the artsScene Creative Summit, being organized in partnership with The Banff Centre, CBC Radio 3 and other industry associations. This flagship event will inspire creativity, foster creative entrepreneurship and showcase local artists.

Alberta is an emerging mega-region in-waiting, one that’s already being fueled by a new generation of creative people who are leading the way in business, in the arts, in engineering, and in science and technology. Our challenge lies in ensuring that they continue to play a role and reinvest in Calgary and Edmonton’s creative communities.

The second point of our manifesto is that we believe that creative, cross-disciplinary collaboration between business and the arts yields powerful results.

Young people are moving into leadership and decision making roles in business, the arts, and government, so it’s critical that they understand that a relationship between the arts and business in our cities is less about charity and sponsorship, and more about investment and partnership.

From this perspective, artsScene won’t simply be about exposing young people to the arts and creative industries. Instead, we’ll build opportunities to provide new context and new relevance, to actively engage young people to become audiences, patrons, and investors.

Our Behind the Scenes events are produced in partnership with organizations including the theatre, symphony, opera and ballet. They’re designed to provide opportunities for young people to discover the performing and visual arts, through artist talks, stage tours, and then attending a performance with fellow artsSceners.

Our Roundtable events are produced in partnership with arts and business organizations, and offer a forum for young people to connect with CEOs and community leaders, and explore issues and opportunities facing our creative communities.

Finally, artsScene events like BoardLink introduce and connect young professionals with local arts boards through a unique speed-networking format. This creates opportunities for young people to become more actively involved in the leadership and development of our arts and culture scene.

We often work in silos – by industry, by discipline and by organization – competing for limited funding, audiences and sponsors. At a time where resources are scarce, we need to be more creative and highly collaborative. artsScene’s goal and our approach is to build bridges, to partner with, and to connect young people with existing arts and industry organizations in our cities.

The last point of our manifesto is that we believe that this is about empowering and activating our connected generation to grow our creative community.

Many arts organizations and businesses are challenged with how to engage our young generation. We’re a different ball game. We’re more connected than any generation before us. We think globally, not locally. We want information instantly, and we want to participate actively.

artsScene is about activating and mobilizing young people to get involved, to attend, and to participate in the many arts and culture events happening around our cities. In this way, we can help arts organizations and creative industries connect with young people.

We believe in being everywhere that audiences are. So when it comes to young people, artsScene mobilizes through peer driven, online social tools and networks like Twitter and Facebook, along with the usual channels of good ol’ word of mouth.

Produced in partnership with other online and offline media publications, we’ll also showcase local creatives and inspire dialogue and discussion through artsScene blogs and feature articles.

artsScene is about using a range of tools and channels, and more importantly, each other, to build a dynamic community of young people and make a difference.

To conclude:

We believe that Alberta’s future lies in a world driven less by limited commodities, and more by limitless creativity and innovation. It’s a future driven by people, ideas and the ability to execute. The new economy has different rules: where geography isn’t the limit and where you’re constantly challenged to be world-class.

Our young people realize this and are already connecting beyond our borders, nationally and internationally. Influential filmmakers, designers, animators, writers, dancers, musicians, and entrepreneurs, based in Edmonton and Calgary, all doing great things on a global stage.

And yet, they remain in the minority. We seek to change this.

artsScene intends to be that catalyst for change – bringing young people together to create the perfect ecosystem of arts and creativity, business and innovation – paving the way for Alberta to take its place among the leading mega-regions in the world.”