Special Section: Maine's Creative Economy

Maine's Creative Economy Conference Sessions


	Bates Mill Complex, Lewiston. Image courtesy of Platz associates.

In the last several months, the steering committee traveled the state of Maine from Calais to Saco holding regional Creative Economy forums.

The mission? To listen to you, - Maine's own entrepreneurs, economic developers, artists, municipal officers and business owners. We have used your interests and questions to create the content of the conference.

Here is a look at the questions we will pose during the conference breakout sessions. On May 7, 2004. Come to get the answers from national and local leading experts, practitioners, creative entrepreneurs and workers.

Get Creative and Use ME
Question: What does Maine offer creative entrepreneurial development and how does one access these tools?

Give ME Shelter
Question: How do we solve the housing issues in Maine and provide live/work space for artists and entrepreneurs?

Creative Communities by Design
Question: How does the Creative Economy model fit into an overall community development plan?

Creative Economy as a Magnet: Attracting Talent to Maine
Question: How do we utilize Creative Economy attributes to attract entrepreneurs, workers and talent?

It Takes A Village
Question: How well does the current K-16 arts education systems help feed a creative workforce?

Workforce Training: The Locomotive of the Creative Economy
Question: What training programs already exist or need to be developed to support the Creative Economy?

Creating Gravity: Bringing People, Businesses and Vitality Downtown
Question: How do you create the kind of downtown places required for a Creative Economy to thrive?

Ideas: The Other Currency of A Creative Economy: How to Protect Your Investment
Question: Intellectual property rights are a growing concern for companies and individuals. How can Maine protect its competitive advantages across the state line or overseas?

The Sticky Factor: Building a Culture That Keeps Our Kids Home
Question: How does the Creative Economy provide job and cultural opportunities for Maine's next generation?

Creative Economy in Rural Places
Question: The Creative Economy model works well in urban settings, but how can we identify and grow creative economies in the rural places of Maine?

Avoiding Maine's Professional Catch & Release
Question: So, you've managed to attract entrepreneurs/employees to Maine but how do you keep them?

Cultural Tourism: Are We Missing the Boat?
Question: In a time when other East Coast states are realizing much greater growth in tourism, how can Maine leverage its Creative Economy assets including arts and culture to promote state tourism?

Growing Creative Clusters
Question: How do you begin to begin to identify, organize and grow a cluster network?

Diversity & Tolerance: Indicators of Prosperity
Question: It is well known that a place rich in diversity, ethnicity and tolerance feeds a Creative Economy. How can Maine work toward becoming a more tolerant and diverse state?

Landscape: How Our Cultural & Natural Assets Create Economic Leverage
Question: How do Maine's cultural and natural assets support a Creative Economy, ultimately making Maine more competitive in the global marketplace?

For more information, visit www.mainecreativeeconomy.com.