Maine's creative economy council
Message from John Rohman, Chair

Fist things first - I would like to send out a very big thank to for everyone who contacted their legislators during the recent budget session. As I write this letter, the bond package has not yet been determined — although the budget has been finalized. As we all know, money is an issue and with new unknowns such as the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) facing us, the budget is even more challenging than ever. The fact that Governor John Baldacci and the Maine Legislature have shown continued support for the Maine Arts Commission and the state's other cultural agencies is a tribute to their understanding of the strong need for these vital resources for all our citizens. It is clear to me that they recognize these agencies are extremely important in our knowledge-based economy.

I believe there is a direct correlation between our hard work, the current successful relationship with the Maine Legislature and the very positive results that the state experienced with the New Century Community Program. By now, many of you have seen the maps indicating the various locations where these dollars were invested (please refer to MaineArts.com to view the maps and find more information). This statewide investment has provided the support that we now rely on from our legislators Ñ so please continue to recognize and thank them.

One of the best "advocacy actions" that will strengthen the important relationships between your organization, your legislator and legislature as a whole, and the Maine Arts Commission is a very simple one. When your community receives a grant from the Maine Arts Commission or any cultural agency, I encourage you to invite your local elected officials and ask them to be present at an event (such as an opening reception or press conference) for a public "thank you." Frankly, that is where much of these dollars flow from, and we should make that link clear in a very visible way.

The leap from the New Century Community Program to where we are today with the creative economy initiative, for me, is an easy one. We have demonstrated the breadth of the arts and cultural community in Maine and now we have a vehicle - the creative economy - to open up new economic opportunities. The Northern Maine Development Commission is finalizing details for the Madawaska Creative Economy meeting. They in turn will be looking at some of the results that we learned in Skowhegan at their recent meeting. All of which was discussed at the July 20 meeting in Rockland.

As we said at the beginning of this phase of the creative economy initiative, we will be taking this concept to all corners of Maine. I look forward to a comprehensive report at the end of the year that will document the strong roles that arts and culture play in this exciting endeavor. I am extremely proud of what both the Maine Arts Commission members and staff have done for the state of Maine. Further, I am excited about the early efforts of the new Creative Economy Council.

John M. Rohman
Chair