arts & business council

MetLife National Arts Forums Series

Regional Arts & Culture Council and Northwest Business for Culture and Arts
Portland, Oregon

Portland’s Future: Feuled by Creativity
07/28/2005

Moderator: Thom Walters

Panelists:

• Joe Cortright, Economist, Impresa Consulting
• Don Rood, Designer, The Felt Hat
• Chris Coleman, Artistic Director, Portland Center Stage
• Bart Eberwein, Vice President, Hoffman Construction

There is a critical discussion taking place across the state of Oregon, and it is resonating in many parts of the country. It is an inquiry about what makes our communities livable. Portland as a region is talking about branding. When we talk about Portland as a brand we are talking about the experience of Portland. What makes it vibrant, relevant, appealing, and competitive? We understand that better defining the importance of the arts and creativity, and their role in our region, is an important part of the equation to evolving a more dynamic, competitive region—a place that simultaneously enhances quality of life and opportunity for a broad section of its citizens.

The intersection of art, creative industry, and business does happen, but how and when it does is rarely communicated. Most companies continue to operate in industry silos, doing business in parallel lines, due to the perception that traditional business, the creative sector, and the arts have nothing in common. Bart Eberwein, vice president of Hoffman Construction, spoke to the persistent gap between nonprofit arts organizations and businesses due to the old model of business as patriarch and patron and the arts as charitable recipient, and the need for a new, more innovative partnership. Don Rood, a graphic designer with the Felt Hat, spoke on how the arts and creative industries represent an evolving new reality and an opportunity to raise the stakes for how we think about policy issues and the future of Portland’s economy. Rood talked about design thinking, a cross-disciplinary approach to problem solving and the creation of innovative solutions to government and business. Chris Coleman, artistic director of Portland Center Stage, talked about the need to help policy makers transition the brand for Portland from the natural resources economy of the past to the creative economy of the future, and the need for resources to help creative talent moving to the city to build business infrastructure that contributes to the economic health of the city. Joe Cortright, a leading local economist, gave an overarching view of trends now occurring within the United States and the region, namely the end of the current labor glut and movement toward a labor shortage that will shift business and industry to develop their operations where human resource talent exists. That talent is migrating to regions that they find stimulating, dynamic, culturally vibrant, and driven by innovation.

It is clear that no one group can advance the issue alone; government can’t fix it and business can’t drive it.  Problem solving and innovation is going to happen through partnerships with all sectors and constituents.