Aug. 21, 2019 | Arts Council Napa Valley

About the State of the Arts Summit

The State of the Arts Summit is mini-conference that happens every two years with the mission to inspire, inform and build networks.

This year the program will be run similar to a ‘TED talk’ type of event and we will be addressing one of the most pressing issues for our creative industries; space. More specifically, we will be discussing live/work space and creative spaces in Napa County. The keynote speaking this year will be David Keenan, cofounder of the Oakland-based Omni Commons and Safer DIY Spaces, an Oakland-based, fiscally sponsored coalition of architects, artists, contractors, and community organizers that was born out of the tragic Ghost Ship fire in Oakland, CA in December 2016.

A veteran of DIY spaces in the bay area since 2012, David has spent years navigating planning and safety departments. His knowledge on how to present a cohesive plan for a space, how to appeal permit denials, and how to do it without paying excess fees hidden along the way has allowed him to help many people in his career as a DIY space advocate. He even invites people to come with him to meetings at city offices to observe the process. This daily work is designed to establish a larger and larger advocacy network for DIY spaces. “We need people who know how to interface with cities on issues like permitting and engineering,” he says. And when he says ‘people’ he means people in the creative fields too, because teaching people how to work through their local government processes means community members capable of carving out creative spaces for themselves for a sustained period of time. ACNV has identified that core idea of empowerment as something that needs to be examined and implemented here in Napa County for our creative community.

After the Keynote speaker, there will be a discussion panel, talking about this issue from various viewpoints on a local level. The discussion panel will include keynote speaker David Keenan, Molly Rattigan, head of Housing and Homelessness for Napa County and arts supporter, as well as Robin Schabes, head of the economic development department for the City of Napa and career long supporter of placemaking through the arts. The panel will be moderated by Chris DeNatale, ACNV’s CEO and President. There will be an opportunity for the community to submit questions to help shape the panel conversation in September.

The event is intended to inspire dialogue between local officials, creative industry professionals and local community members about how Napa County can invite a more sustainable arts culture, starting with figuring out spaces for it to happen in.

The event will be followed by a networking mixer, providing refreshments and entertainment from local artists.

Itinerary

Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Time: 3:00-7:00 PM

Location:
Yountville Community Hall
6516 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599, USA

Outline:
3:00-3:20pm Sign ins and mingling
3:20-4:00pm Arts Council Napa Valley and Town of Yountville updates
4:00-5:00pm Keynote Speaker: David Keenan
5:00-6:00pm Panel Discussion; David, Molly Robin
6:00-7:00pm Mixer

Admission Information

The Napa County State of the Arts Summit is open to the public. Registration is:

$5 for Creative Directory profile holders
$10 for Students and Teachers (ID Required)
$20 for General Admission

Tickets available for purchase at: EventBrite

Have questions? Please reach out to info@ArtsCouncilNV.org.

Interested in sponsoring the event? Please reach out to chris@ArtsCouncilNV.org.

This summit is made possible through major supporters of Arts Council Napa Valley, including the County of Napa, the Hewlett Foundation, the California Arts Council, the City of Napa.