![](https://www.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/styles/square_150/public/pictures/picture-5433-1473367866.jpg?itok=_d0yEjK_)
Malissa Feruzzi Shriver
Innovators, Interventions, and Instruction
Posted by Jun 20, 2014
![](https://www.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/styles/square_150/public/pictures/picture-5433-1473367866.jpg?itok=_d0yEjK_)
Malissa Feruzzi Shriver
Nashville is not for the faint of heart, and neither is an Americans for the Arts' conference. There were scheduled sessions that ran until midnight, where some of the panelists broke into song, and early bird specials—eight AM, lights, camera, action. Nashville has nothing on Americans for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts has something for everyone. More than one thousand arts advocates enjoyed networking, performances, and fascinating panels, myself included. Convention themes ran from arts and community to building core skills (does being on your feet for fourteen hours build core strength too?), embracing diversity, reinvention and sustainability, and supply and demand. This conference was definitely not short on supply, and judging from the attendance, demand was high.
I was impressed on so many levels. Four jam-packed days of sessions, exhibitors, meet and greets, and all the big organizations, big names and big ideas. I learned about public art and placemaking, leadership skill development, and how art can translate data, and was fascinated by topics like engaging the biases, values and privileges underneath your work. I am grateful that AFTA organizes these conferences to invest in our field, inform leaders, and stimulate dialogue about relevance and sustainability.
Read More