Arkansas Legislative Arts and Technology Boot Camp

How I think I start with my glasses. Good morning everybody thank you for being here and I'm I'm looking around for all the people who are members of the boot camp and I know everybody's not here not made it yet but I particularly want to thank you of the public and I hope lot of people watching I'm state Senator Joyce Elliott that represent district thirty one and mainly here in Little Rock and next to me to my right and your left is is my cohort my co sponsor in the legislation that we're gonna be talking about today and much of that will come with the folks from our Kansans for the arts because they're the ones who work with us a great deal I'm gonna call my co sponsored just a second for comments but before I do anything else part is of our commentary if it looks like I'm getting shorter that's because my take my chair keeps moving down. Yeah. I just feel myself getting lower or I don't know which of these guys is playing a trick but I feel like somebody is you know there are ghosts in here we start we started this effort quite sometime ago I I think we form the caucus and twenty seventeen to twenty eighteen well no it was a twenty seventeen to twenty eighteen you remember. Yeah I twenty eighteen two thousand eighteen we had this idea that after working with our Kansans for the arts we had this idea that if anything could could be could be L. a good part of place based economic growth it could be the arts all over this state and we started with creating a legislative arts caucus I want I want to do and then I'll call on you representative Warren I just want to recognize the folks who were part of the very beginning the charter members of the arts caucus I'm not sure start with though they are not legislators and members I should start Dunklin or shows and Garbo Hearne because they were the ones with our Kansans for the arts who really propped us up and helped us understand and make real what so many of us were thinking there are eight districts in the art and the art caucuses and what representative of one and I were determined to do make this bipartisan so we worked really hard to get a Democrat and Republican in everyone of these districts as part of the original group we weren't able to in a couple of them I think but we did everything we could and then to make sure we have an even number of Democrats and Republicans because we don't think politics should hold us back and something that's great so we started out with. Hi in district one I want to call out Senator Scott Flippo and representative Janna dela Rosa she's no longer with us but she was very instrumental for for not helping us get started and in our district to Senator Missy Irvin and representative Craig Christiansen and represented Christians and I just saw down here today and art district three was Senator Ron Caldwell representative Monte Hodges and representative Deborah Ferguson and that one had three so that we could get the but we couldn't get the even numbers of Democrats Republicans that we wanted to have in this caucus and in district four where senator Matt pension representatives they are capped by a representative cap is no longer with us I believe she's a judge now is that correct House members okay District five four Senator Brianne Davis and representative Les Warren district six was arduous Elliott representative are and representative Reginald Murdock and seven Senator Larry Teague who is here today and a member of the boot camp and representative Carol Dalby and district eight four R. senator Eddie Cheatham who's no longer with us and representative Vivian flowers and I just wanted to give those folks and you know the recognition they deserve because they were part of our getting started I just really want to appreciate them rest representing one so people don't give me so much you want to hear have your comments now and I will finish up and get started with the presentations at that time maybe get another chair I'm. Well I have that share in the house it just continually goes down so I just want to say thank you to everybody for being here to those of you who are serving. We have worked a long time to get to this point I am so thankful for Senator Elliot and two sandy Lenore Garbo those few who put so much time Aaron from my district This is been a long time coming Arkansas has so much to be thankful for when it comes to the arts. We've got so much to offer we have people who give up on a nonstop basis to make sure that archer imported our state and the people have the opportunity to experience them. So I'm excited to. Not only have this Committee get going but to go out into the state and learn more about what is out there in each of our districts and to be able to gather together a fuller list of what Arkansas has to offer add someone was asking me about this committee in a civil I just took my wife up to crystal bridges for her birthday. And I saw so many people up there I'm like we need to list to be able to give to these people that when they come into Arkansas to go to a crystal bridges that they don't just come in and leave we need to give them a list that says. Look at what else you can do when you're in Arkansas you need to go to other places in Arkansas while you're here so we hope to get a much more comprehensive list together of what to experiences Arkansas at different times of the year. So I'm excited I'm also excited about how we're putting together that it is not just about sitting and seeing a performance it's also about tying to it that there is an economic impact and job related to so many of the arts that we get to experience so thank you to those of you who are here thank you senator Elliots for let me the be a part of what we're doing today short delighted to work with you and and it actually has been great working with the representative one I'll have to say aye and we've got a couple motions we've got a major event I read my first Richard Florida book I in two thousand four I believe it was and he was writing all about the creative economy and place based economic development. I couldn't even get a conversation really with anybody so I I I just wanted to just lift up how refreshing it once when I had this discussion with the focus of our Kansans where the arts and they were excited about the possibility but what what Richard Florida was saying even that far back was if we are imaginative if we will embrace the creative economy we we can grow places and we can grow businesses places we always assume there was nothing I want I want going to ask of you the public and everybody else to do with us come along because less than I did we've been in this imagination I'll bubble for quite some time. I want you to think about this is not just about what's already here. It's about looking at Izard County a look at that never fade a county where I grew up with people keep saying well you know nobody's going to move to Scott County there's nothing here what just pick a county I'm not picking on anyone in particular. But to re imagine the weight last night it wasn't is not the best example in the world but is one that is a really good example last night I was watching of CBS this morning. And Mount Airy North Carolina is where many dairy was found. Well North Carolina just like so many other places when when the industry is dried up they were mainly you know into textiles and so forth everything moved to China and they were that same there's nothing here once they did was re imagine. Mount Airy as Mayberry and turned it into an economic boom because they didn't just keep sitting there saying we don't see anything I can think of ways they could do a lot better about making it more up to date but that's the kind of thing I'm talking about. and if we just keep on trying to chase the next big box building we're never going to do what we should do it for the Delta and other parts of the state we just have to have a rethink so at this point you have to move on to items. One is we're at items C. where we need a motion to authorize it years to approve the expenses incurred for missed or the Legislative but can't and and that means that we are like any other committee for all the things that we have to pay for so I'll entertain a motion to for the pay for those expenses. Listen motion second any questions anybody all those in favor I. Those opposed the motion is passed if you're going to items do you have at your at your at desk of the rules and procedures which are the common rules and procedures for this kind of about the task force it would be called that we call ourselves the boot camp for very specific reasons because of you better come with you those this is going to be worked out But these are the rules and procedures if you want just a second to look at them before we adopt them or if anybody is ready for motion we can do either one. Just let me know when you're ready. I want to call your attention to on the duties I want to call your attention to those to make sure you understand it you know what we will what my responsibilities are here other rested on two and three of the ones that I really want you to be sure you're aware of that in the and when we have gone through all of our meetings number two is that integration of what we will have to turn we have to give a report a final written report by August the thirty first of twenty twenty two what we are recommend and what we have found as a result of hope committee meeting not just here in Little Rock but in many other parts of the state that's something that's written this subcommittee is responsible for doing that is to say at the end of this year governor your legislature here public the here are the possibilities for our state beyond things we've not imagined before and then number three that is also the expiration date of the boot camp after that we are no longer meeting that might tell you we are we're right now looking to meet at this point and we're the three of us are going to need to make sure this can work out and with the folks Marquez's of the arts we're looking to meet the ever ready Wednesday first week first Wednesday every month and in order to do everything we have to do we're going to have to find some times probably to meet in order to meet other folks schedules because we're trying to meet or around the state in public institutions because we are public institutions as the thing that makes the most sense so we will be looking to put some other meetings on the calendars and I don't want to try to state we've identified public institutions but I don't want to try to say yet because I'm not ready for all the other company and go meet it might be mine I'm not ready for that yet we're not that far down the road so. If they're not any questions about those duties all and and procedures I would entertain a motion to accept. Motion the second. We got a second all those in favor I. Those opposed motion passes all right so now to the good stuff. if our doctor doctor Lenore shows and is a sandy Martin if you guys will come on up. This is item this is item ET. Hi I am really glad to be here good morning if he'll introduce yourself for the record and just say Lenore Schultz Arkansans for the arts and we have a subcommittee of the art technology boot camp I chair that sandy Martin I both share the creative economy subcommittee with Arkansans for the arts. All right you're recognized you're recognized and I'm going to ask if if If members have questions if it's a burning question that can't wait Let's try to wait to the end but since not everybody has made it to this meeting today we obviously have more time members can ask questions so if you have something that's bringing that you need to get clarified Court and light up otherwise we'll try to wait to the. Okay doctor shows you're recognized. Sir Kansans for the arts has been advocating for the creative economy since its inception but what is the creative economy well it's a way of tracking data. And we have lots of data to get to later but what's going to be really interesting to explore is how do we grow the creative economy and we'd also like to think about art beyond a painting in a museum we're really talking about creativity it's a spectrum so for example I think a perfect cupcake can be a work of art. When it comes to technology again it's a spectrum in my mind a gorgeous easily navigated web site that makes me get out my credit card and buy something. That's perfect retail technology for others it's a more sophisticated definition for boot camp we're all in this together I think we need to take traditional definitions and throw them out the window. The creek Kanemi is going to be even more important in the future as jobs disappear or change. back as people see quality of place first and then figure out careers or work remotely. As the world gets more technical and robotic people are going to crave places with natural beauty and where things are still made by hand. In the nineteen thirties and forties extension agents went through really poor areas and at that time the Ozarks were really poor and they try to develop a con amis through crafts and music. This is nineteen forty one in fifty six Arkansas fifty six in Stone County Arkansas which makes it Mountain View look like a metropolis so in nineteen forty one they had their first folkways festival World War two comes along and they don't get to have another festival until the sixties but you recall springs has a folk festival in nineteen forty seven and that is still going on and is the longest running folk festival in the United States. In nineteen oh six the first radio broadcast included music so there we have art and technology in nineteen forty one when the king biscuit time radio our first came on the air radio with the technology. Technology is always changing think about movies used to be film then it was digital now you can make a movie on your cell phone we have to prepare for adaptation and change because technology will always change. Some background. Senator mentioned Richard Florida's book the rise of the creative class I to read that book and was talking inside a coffee can because nobody knew what I was talking about but now look at northwest Arkansas in two thousand and seven the Arkansas arts council included the creative economy in their art links conference two thousand and seventy two thousand nine the Rockefeller Foundation and arts council research for studies on the creative economy called creativity in the natural state. In two thousand and seventeen Senator Elliot was awarded from Americans for the arts this state legislative arts leadership award for her advocacy of the arts and the creative economy and in two thousand eighteen the Arkansas Legislative arts caucus was formed. And in two thousand twenty one we have art and technology boot camp now architect knowledge you can build on the governor's coding initiative but it provides a way to develop those skills at an even younger age. Wiarton technology well the intersection of art and technology is going to generate new business and those businesses could be here in Arkansas we need to prepare for a future it does have robots and does have artificial intelligence and I want to you to think about the jobs that are vanishing if I go to Walmart I know check myself out those cashier jobs are gone. I used to call business I would get a human being as a receptionist then I used to get a telephone menu I now get Jake in an online chat I can't even find a phone number all those jobs are gone. Our technology generally live in separate silos we need art and technology and technology in art one example gaming is all about art and technology now we usually think of it in terms of entertainment but I had an eye opener thinking of in terms of education I got to be my grandson's kindergarten and first grade teacher during the pandemic and I had a really experience watching him learn math and reading. Basically with video games yesterday was at their house and he couldn't wait to show his grandmother this video game but he was actually doing math and he absolutely loves this is Sunday afternoon how this kid wants to actually spend time. But how do you grow the creative economy. You support current business you develop tomorrow's entrepreneurs you build the workforce retain talent and attract talent. This idea of a percentage for the arts. A percentage of a budget of public art projects were thinking hospitals airports goes to art if you've ever spent a long time in a hospital with a loved one you know what solace that art can provide. Of course we can support businesses through promoting and advertising. And you might consider art and technology collaboration grants. GIS is an area of great potential of course for tourism but as the senator pointed out it can also build local histories and quality of place for even the smallest communities and these are just a few examples studio towards mural trails old churches tourist quilt trails barbecue trails the possibilities are endless. Artists innovators and inventors are natural entrepreneurs they don't want to go to work for somebody else they want to forge their own path this idea of internships and apprenticeships came up again and again in our research. Stone county ironworks was founded by David Matthews who was a blacksmith apprentice at the Ozark folk center the committee of one hundred funded that apprenticeship in nineteen seventy nine he went on to create Stone County are works which is now a multi national. Modi million dollar international company. Creativity is a learned skill not a magical thing that you're born with a major complaint from employers is workers who cannot figure out solutions to problems bringing art to technology and technology into art develops creative problem solving skills. We need to develop a resilient workforce is familiar with team member team work and above all the ability to adapt to the unknown. We have to dramatic events that show us how the ability to adapt is imperative nine eleven and the COVID pandemic dramatic events cannot be predicted but the greater our ability to pivot and adapt the faster and stronger our recovery. Internships and apprenticeships are important for retaining talent because students learn how to work in the real world they develop a good work ethic early they can transition from school into the workforce industry benefits because they can instill their work ethic and they get to scout for talent. Create creative people want to be around other creative people they want to collaborate Arkansas's natural beauty and low cost of living make as a very attractive place to live but broadband is going to be key. So go up out doing our research officials would you hold up for just one second and go back to the broad band What acting talent there I'll remind you just some of us us just last week you know we had a huge big meeting about broadband how important it is and I mentioned in that meeting that we were having this meeting today and to do all the things that we can do is we we are really going to have to get serious that broadband is in red for a reason and out we needed for so many things we talked about but when we say we needed for economic development. We need for this kind of economic development for the long term and it's best we just get with and stop talking about it and and invest and stop I think we do too much of putting a few million here and a few million there rather than by the bullet just saying everything else is going to go by the wayside for minute we're just going to do it thank you for that I just wanna make sure we were connecting on are not. So we thought that we had a pretty good idea of the talent in Arkansas that quite frankly I have been absolutely thrillingly Stein at what's going on out there this is the tip of the iceberg but to be fair overview of what's going on in our state and our methodology involved developing a database of over a thousand contacts emailing a request to respond to a short survey that asked what their intersection was with art and technology what are their future plans and dreams what barriers exist and what their area of biggest impact is. We had approximately sixteen percent response rate and we invited all survey respondents to attend zoom focus groups. We had approximately forty percent participation from survey respondents in the eight zoom focus groups that were held around the state and those were held largely in the eight our districts for the most part. No surprise the major barriers are funding and broadband. But this feedback emerged. The request for on going art and technology professional development and education and what was really interesting here is this ranges from pre K. elementary middle school high school college two year four year graduate programs professors tenured professors elder people everybody wants access to this and what happens for example if your tenured professor. You may go in it at a time period when for example was filled and look at how it's changed now keeping up with these technological advances and quite frankly also dipping back into the art side of things requires professional development and people want lifelong learning just because they're not of the university doesn't mean that somebody is outside of that loop of craving more information more access and more participation so the the real need and love for lifelong learning and also informal learning play time experimenting discovery based learning that's where the creative problem solving skills really start to develop. A request for lifelong health and wellness for all there are so many advances that are happening in health and wellness and the arts at this point we're we're on the cusp of an absolute break through and this is a way to provide this across our communities. Want equal access and equity throughout the entire state there's a tremendous fear that if something happens it may only happen in one portion of the state and everybody else is going to be left behind. And there's a desire for communication network the people that are involved in art technology want to be able to connect with each other. This idea was actually senator Elliots she said wouldn't it be great if all churches could be on a GIS tour and so. I knew a photographer who was taking lovely pictures of all churches not contacted her we have a board member who research will who's working in GIS and it turns out that at the university of central Arkansas Dr Stephen o'connell answered the call he rallied his honor students and they did this for you because they knew that we were going to be speaking with you and so in the amount of time within what few weeks they actually put this together and I can't make it live but it gives you an idea this begins a built in church which is in south west Arkansas. We then have other churches that are listed in Northwest Arkansas and I want you to imagine you'll see where the numbers are and we're cast church in gore creek churches are listed. Imagine if you will in these little communities that middle school students and high school students research the old churches in their community you would then be looking at this light and it would have the history that the kids themselves had added which means that they're learning about their community they're sharing it and I guarantee you this one example the fascination with old churches people would take a driving tour of all churches of Arkansas. Also note some of them look like school buildings or old houses that's because they were school buildings and churches and community meeting places and astonishingly they must have been very well built because a number of them still exist and then the students prepare to treat for you. An honor student had done her thesis on Arkansas post office murals from the nineteen thirties and forties and so what they did so that you can get an idea of what could be done with G. I. S. they created this portion of a tour where you would actually be able to drive around and visit old post office murals or sit in your living room your office and click on the button and learn about each of these fascinating girls that still exist around our state think of the possibilities that this could reveal for tourism and for developing quality of places the senator said every single little place. It's also the perfect example of putting talented people in the room together and getting out of their way because we didn't even request this and they came up with it. To give you an idea of more talent around the state let's watch this short video. For. And a. high school this is where are the members of the Arkansas. In the. Are you. They are. We have the only and the. They are. My name is Donna sorrow and I in. Sorry where's the volume John. Thank you chose well. The R. S. even what is G. I. S. that I know what it is I can't remember all with the letters or you will. Okay I must question. All written for number that that one person that was your only question like where's C. talking to a wall this is a high okay all right good deal. For. And a. President demand high school this is where are the. The Arkansas. In the. Are you. They are. And the. They are. My name is Donna sorrow and I am the founder of the art artist in residency program have lucky star farm in rush Arkansas we grow eighty two eighty five percent of everything we. year round and so the artists that come here are part of that agricultural program we've started a huge die guard and we grow hundreds and hundreds of plants that you can die with plants and flowers and seeds. We invite textile part is to come and create things that are dying with pieces yeah plants are grown here we just had a textile artist Condit's part of we're doing out. Set of residencies called the buffalo river residencies and that's to help celebrate the fact that the buffalo river will be it'll be fifty next year will be there fiftieth anniversary of being maintained national record she's recreating that the loss on the buffalo and she's using our indigo plants and other types of plants to die different colors into this piece that will be used here so not only since we have creeks that flow into the buffalo and we're part of the buffalo watershed so pieces created by the water from our property the plants that are growing here which just continues that idea sense of place you're staying two is that the more you find the art. Just goes back into the community actually general area it creates a pole for innovative businesses to come in and work at it it draws you know more creative more innovative people to those areas to work in this business is broken eighty six specially that put any kind of money into the arts get it back. To me speaks about personal appeal and generate revenue first development has become destination development and anyways. Fire engine in it he's we go places where people want to come visit so if we build a place that has Friday marks the that celebrates creativity that marries that with great wholesome outdoor activities with bike trails and fishing and all these different things and amenities that will this is but then they come back they say I'm here I can see myself living you're recognized for a job. Becomes the key of whether it's personal development destination development community development the current arcs is the impact around with the creative economy and we have those people those artists of all our. In most cases so we have some opportunities to capitalize on the ship we are artists were brand new dollars into our state what we're talking about the artist's new dollars in their experience in our community we are gateway to economic development I'm on the phone talking about animation bring in an open invitation facility in northwest Arkansas where a person a hundred years for just one series and then they just want to keep building on that I think we have to support the arts on all levels and if it's I think it's by telling our story better it may be improved. So just tell her story as a whole state why people's and it's just happening here in northwest Arkansas and and says Robinson no it's happening all over the state people are seeing it as a value is proposed rule areas is a key opportunity for them to create some wonderful experiences for tourism standpoint and be part of that. There are medical journals that have section where they have a vested the arts benefit poetry so there's actually poetry in our medical journal that have reflective pieces on how it is provided care what healthcare professionals are experiencing and using that modality the reflective and build that momentum is doesn't have resilience as well those things are there and then you have. Nationals who are in health care settings or helping patients in the area of rehabilitation were experienced trauma of action by a great injuries or walking alongside healthcare professionals in music and the arts and creative arts to help in the rehabilitation process. The hospital we had people driving to Jared see for from. Let Village okay from. Shreveport Louisiana and I'm going back for this you could have done this on telemedicine. This long last for thirty years. I created to my own style. I was taking classes at the art center. my teacher. Said what if I don't hear this interested in class I would talk to you so. In a sense I'm self taught I made up my designs alone and didn't really follow or copy of any other artists. I studied it your check last school study and Hong Kong estate and. Rondo is still. Eris Irving last. Brookland. Once you learn how to make something perfect in this fund is straying do more abstract abstract shapes is all out I'm I have sars period I don't have a another source of income it really allows me to grow and provide for my family I'm very appreciative of every day shall. They do this and realized by during the keep by a lot of people. If. What we know is that broadband is essential to participate in the digital economy. It is essential for our online learning it is essential health. The committee includes everyone includes net estate includes art includes a German nurse we have a little from the industrial age to that. I want to create jobs we want to create this so whatever that takes. That's a very short snapshot of what we discovered thanks to zoom you can see that we live done zone for the better part of a year. and that that just realized as Lenore city just hits the tip of the iceberg on what's out and the talent that's out in this great state when you think of creative industries and creative businesses think of of everything cast a wide net it literally covers everything from eight to architecture to education to games to film to medical tourism community development always down disease for zoos with interactive and augmented reality interfaces that are happening that is our life that is our work life that is our business life in our industry. The stories are great the snapshots are wonderful that we only touched on four areas in in this video but we know that that's not enough we know that we have to back it up with quality solid data to quantify the creative economy in Arkansas and so we partner ms Clark before you get before going to the date and I have I have a question here from somebody from this is that seats seven. Reporter in seventy four okay. The Committee representative Fortner okay. Yes up back to the. Previous slide shall forgive my ignorance of what is G. I. S. as it applies to this. Geographic information okay so it's it is okay all right. Thank you. And representative as follows. That you sent one moment I don't. Okay all right. There there are no other questions on the board so you're recognized to go ahead thank you senator. Introduce yourself again to remind people who you are yes I'm sandy Martin chair of our candidates for the art and I'm partner in crime with doctor shields on creative economy and boot camp what are your other partners has come into the room I just want to take a moment and recognize our Garbo Hearne who is in the back of the room just wave a hand something off road will know who you are she's one of the other persons I was telling you about that was there from the get in trying to give us some guidance about our how he idea that we thought we could make into something and they they have the same ideas. Our fearless leader. We have our Kansans for the arts partnered with cash earlier this year and we purchased a dynamic research tool that we wanna make available to you it's called creative vitality suite or Seaview suite and it allows us to dive pretty deeply within the creative economy and slice and dice the creative economy throughout the state you have a series of handouts I think it's your at your places and I want to just real briefly go through and highlight what the research says and what we can provide you with the first one you have is is a snapshot of of art and technology throughout the state of Arkansas. Greater vitality also uses as current data as possible if you looked into arts research you probably got frustrated because it's like two thousand seventeen this is the most current available from extremely reliable sources that they pull from the air from the IRS from esri from a variety of sources the updated refresh it twice a year that do refresher in the spring and they do a full update in the fall they are now filtering in the twenty twenty census data that'll be active very soon in the upper left hand corner you'll see as a creative vitality index. That basically says that Arkansas is operating at fifty one percent of its potential compared to the United States with the creative economy lots of room for growth you'll see that we can pull demographics we can pull age we can pull median will of wage and hourly wages you can see the trend on what's happened with the creative vitality index over the last five years it's grown but it's slow but we obviously have the momentum behind us the next section takes a look at jobs. And it will give us the top five we can we can pull and a complete list these kick out on excel spreadsheets so we can against license I said anyway we want to and there's been gaining jobs the next section looks at industry sales and earnings and will give us the top five top ten however many want to look at those industries that are producing in sales or making the most in earnings and then it separates out the non profit end of it so that we can take a look at that separately from for profits. We can not only look at it from the state but the next the next paper that you have is at the county level. And same type of sections this is comparing Independence County with Pulaski County and it's interesting to note when you go through your work and start traveling across the state when you go into some of these counties in these areas kind of why there is a Director why there is a huge abundance of arts technology and creative economy you can see that that Independence County is basically operating and and a quarter of its potential tons of rooms a growth and as you look through the other sections you can see that there's been a tremendous loss in jobs and creative industries question being why how can that be reversed on the other hand Pulaski County is operating eighty five percent so they're all outperforming the state and edging up to to what. National averages is our goal. Not only can we look at it from state level county level we can also configure it on districts. that sample on the left is the economic development and planning districts of which there are eight and that's just an example of the work force that is within each of those different districts so this tool could be provided to that commission or any commission that you could look at and say okay we've we've got a lot of potential and let's drill down a little bit further and find out what are those jobs that we have and one of those jobs that were missing that we can leverage we can also do it by yours your date your specific legislative district so that you can take a look at exactly what is within your your district who's doing it and then hopefully provide you with a few more questions that you would like answers to for research standpoint will be more than happy to provide that for you and lastly. We can also pull out and drill down into specific industries. Things like film and video music industry performing arts crafts we can draw and any specific as minute it is as it is as it might be there is data there that is current and we can also produce trends for you so all this research is available to you just let us know what you need and we will pull it. and the last thing I would like to see before rap about the creative economy creative industries. The cool thing about it is it's a clean industry it's a clean revenue and workforce developer and most importantly particularly for Arkansas it's replicable it can be. It can be reproduced or re imagined authentically not duplicated but I sent a clear replicated in every single community large or small throughout the state of Arkansas creative economy already exist they're creative people and talented people there they just want to have the opportunity to produce revenue and product for you that's basically what they want to do with that all right but I think you. Thank you ms Clark anybody have any questions and reactions that you want to share the group because I hope today should not be a long long long meeting so we have the time that and I have one I ask of you I want you to you know respond CVS thank if you have questions but I also hope this will stir in you as we go along and have these meetings who somebody in your area somebody you know in your in the state that should be included on this a master's trip of art and technology and because we I will tell you just as a regular Warren I got started to work with our cans for the arts we're not pretending we know all of this we're just brave enough to do something that we may not be good at and figure it out and get it all done but we know for the people are who can give us information to what we're thinking about doing but we're not pretending to do this you just have use it yet but be a part of and be thoughtful about. What else should be thank you the thing about who should be including and so I just have one quick question for you represent I'm I'm good I've major representive already I apologize for that because she might not like that but is Martin if if one of our members wanted to sit down with you to take a look at their district what should date what should the process be are have you figure out information from that District Court for that process to be will exchange emails and phone numbers in fact or provide that to you all right you obviously already have it but I'll provided separately and then just a contact either an email request on on what information or will sit down have a phone conference with them we'll both get on as soon okay to explore answer questions and it to me and just give me okay to pull the research and then we can set something up well what we will do that and because since I have your contact information anyway already out we all just get and I never got to think Johnson is to be in our staff person he's been terrific he is fantastic Grove this is going to great will is our John to share it with the members and if anybody has a request we will start with the request of the members who were actually here today because I think they probably know more about what they're asking for and get that that that's your reward for actually being here so if you it will will take care of that so that you can get that information. Our anything else from your representative or one you have any questions comments. One comment I wanna let you know if you. You're from the different districts so Senator Elliott and I would appreciate input from you I know that I got called to come up to the University of Arkansas they wanted to visit with me The New chair of the education department and they're so excited about what we're doing and they wanted to meet offer the university as a meeting place of Wingate is so excited about what we're doing. So if you have Institutions or people that say well when you come to our area we'd like to to know we need to start gathering that information but I think the more that we get out there the more people are going to want to have a seat at the table and hear about us an offer facilities to have our meetings that so. Just let Senator Elliot or John no so that we can start putting those down and have records so that we do get to each one's community we we can have a list of where we can meet. Okay. Flowers and you're recognized. Thank you madam chair of I just wanna first quickly say how much I appreciate all of this and give a big shout out of course to Senator Elliott and Carmel Herndon one to specifically say because she's always sitting in the back and in the background quietly I've known Garbo Hearne for many many years and for most of those years she has been pulling me aside saying when can we get together and try to create you know some some opportunities to you know improve people's awareness about the arts especially young people and so I'm super happy to see her vision manifesting in this way and I also want to lay claim to Dr Scholl's we've lost her to retirement but she belongs to pine bluff just so everybody knows. we have been in pine bluff having Some in persons in meetings around tourism development in pine bluff and what has. Kind of bubbled up in addition to the arts as for example developing our the thank you Bartholomew the largest you know by you in the world very not not a lot of development. And we are the natural state so two questions first how can or how is this creative economy. Sort of overlapping or or combining with the existing focus on our natural resources and I I saw that the example with with the agriculture piece and then secondly. Who in the country and you know what state or even county in the country is really getting this kind of development right that can be a source of as an example for us thank you. I'll I'll take the first part of it in terms of what I take to be both and natural beauty and the resources that are already in place in the community correct the can be built upon. But my degrees inherited studies which is exactly that so it's it's right in that wheelhouse we're basically when I suggested work with middle school kids in high school kids I personally believe you start in the community and if the little kids learn that history than they know what their entire lives and they're going to figure out all kinds of creative ways to bring it to life so it's not by accident that we suggest beginning with little kids in beginning in education and yes beginning with their adorable little drawings of the river boats in of bio both on you because when they get older if they love that by they're going to turn it into a movie. If they're passionate about it they're going to turn into a business if they're super creative and they loved riverboats they're going to come up with a way to turn it into a tour by Bartholomew so I personally believe you always go back to the community because you can't go wrong with education and with the possibilities with art and technology now representative flowers touched on the most amazing project that's being floated in pine bluff because they're basing it in art and technology. And obviously I didn't make up the idea of art and technology there's so much that's there there's so much that they're at the university so. Go to what's there of course go the natural beauty go to your schools go to your talent that's there and then you heard me earlier say what students at UCLA did for you with the G. R. A. S. and with the post office murals people can call the nor I don't know what you're talking about with any of this is a get the talented people in the room and get out of the way. So you have so much talent there they need money they need broadband to bring them together and they're going to create a mobile solutions that couldn't have dreamt of. You want take part to. Yes can I add to that real quick to I think also integrating the natural beauty what you're seeing on a lot of places are our trails and making making those natural beauties at the spots and those resources part of an experience part of entertainment for example they might they might have a we're in Eureka Springs building in one of our in town parks an interactive art trail and there's a stage there so there's performance will do movies there so there's a way that you can bring that in and the state just the department of heritage parks and tourism just announced a separate outdoor recreation commission it's going to exist I presume that that's now what they're going to focus on so you know there there are lots of ways to integrate that and when you do that that like Dr short said that invites people to learn more and experience more and the kids love it they love it and I love to you know they love to explore bugs and stuff like that and you know and find out what's what's involved in the natural resources and tremendous amount of opportunity there and I apologize I spoke too much and forgot your second question. I can jump in okay okay this state that's doing phenomenal work believe it or not in art and agriculture is Iowa. I'm going to just throw that one out there at top of consciousness and of course given twenty four as research I can follow up with all different examples but I is actually leading the way in agriculture and art yet again who would think of it and we are gaining ground in art and health and wellness you saw doctor Brooke shield the run up it The New York institute of certain certain supplement AS you down at southern Arkansas university they just add an art therapy major and so we can look to some examples in our own state which hopefully you're going to get to go visit them two can you think of any other examples around the country. Prescott has. Yeah I know I I read Senator flowers thank you here just a minute but several years ago when I was sponsored through trying to figure this out and how we can bring this Arkansas I know that an upstate New York where they lost a lot of industry one of the things that they're doing at it's like selling they were one of the big ones I think it begin to start selling the scented soaps across the country and across the world because they have they had goats. These goats that were you know that what else can we do besides it's it's now not just about the milk for people to drink and and then of course they created big industry of selling at two hotels at the soaps and then selling their their Selling I think I can I think was a motion in the Clinton things that on maybe it was QVC but what we want one of those so they have recreated a huge chunk of economic development for folks in upstate New York through the by looking at things artistically. Represented representative of we need to separate and flowers by could you talk. Okay you're good okay all right. Our. I there are not any other questions on here and so what I want so I will reiterate I would like for you to start thinking about and and and that's in a one I don't think we can make a simple promise but please help us by start thinking about who is and what it is because the idea when sandy said I think it's one or maybe you said get the of people in the room and get out of the way what we'd like to do a someone that where you live and and other places in the state and not have everybody come here and also you should know we might I don't know how this is we we probably will have to have some of these via zoom which is one of the other major reasons we like to meet some of our state of the universities six and even high schools if they if they can I'll sing about you know some high schools now or are so technologically connected we might even be able to do that all right so one other thing that we are going to be doing today the Arkansas symphony it works right and then they are interested in what we doing and have come today but they also have something going on they want to take about ten minutes and I said they could tell you guys may come on up so we we've got Christina Christina little is that right. There was no the syllable there was missing out Christina Little John Goss Francis who are going to talk to us for about ten minutes to give us an update about what's happening with the Arkansas symphony which is manifold of course to all of us because notice it's it's not that North Little Rock symphony it's it's not the Monticello's SA Arkansas seventy so we want to hear it from them about what's going on. And then after that we will be adjourned. Everything ready to go John. I'm. Okay. Introduces push that that but in front of you introduce yourself for the record and hi we want to get started you may do so Senator wing is down there not because he's a baby sitter. Because he was actually the conduit between Christine and and Gus or to make this request thank you for doing that go you better but I'll let them introduce themselves off and then I'll kind of introduce what they'll talk about so go ahead. My name's Gus Fraxinus. The level of our. My name's Kristina Little John I live in Little Rock. I'm representative waiting and I'm grateful to be able to have these folks here because you know we talk a lot about in our community of most of what our life deals with is the what what we have to do but the arts provides the Y. and as we appreciate the why it helps improve the what that we do and it enhances our quality of life in Arkansas so the Arkansas symphony orchestra has some great things that are going on that I thought would be beneficial for this committee to us seeing here and appreciate not senator Elliots said this is this impacts the entire state of the Arkansas symphony orchestra reaches out all four corners of our state and what they're doing here and what they'll talk about in particular affects our use and and and the rising generation of what they are able to experience and appreciate often times as we see in our schools and the education that we have sometimes both both the arts and athletics are not appreciated as much as they should be for what they provide for use in terms of discipline and teamwork and and how that helps organize and express themselves so that they can approach the what of their futures with these wise as well so with that I'll turn it over to you guys to tell us a little bit about what's going on with our most recent project thank you. Log it off I just wanna say thank you for allowing us to be here today and telling you what we're doing at the Arkansas symphony orchestra of. symphony serves the entire state and I and a lot of communities that you represent we're there. we've heard it many times today I've been involved around here in economic development says the mid eighties and still lamb and you know the The economic development sign goes hand in hand with the arts because is represented wing just said we've heard it earlier it's the quality of life and we're we're out recruiting people this is part and parcel of what some of those individuals and looking for and then the last slide we were seeing there about the performing arts and the symphony is performing arts. I'm just a committee member I've been on the board at the symphony for many many years I think it's very important that we have the. The means for our young people to grow it in. You know with their talents to be part of something that that this body and I'm on the committee trying to secure the funds to build a new music center for the symphony and we're very modest with what our plans are with its twenty thousand square foot building our total budget is ten million which is a very good and we're going to locate this facility right between the heifer international project in the Clinton library here on the east side of town so we're excited about it we started working on our goal and we're here to tell you what we're done in. All the numbers in the technical side of Christine The Little John who's the CEO of the symphony will take it from there okay thank you so much guys and thank you all so much for your time this morning I did want to talk more about the music center of we we had a presentation but we'll leave it with you the main. People this music centers for is for children the Arkansas symphony orchestra on has close to two hundred children that participate in the Arkansas symphony Youth Orchestra I the Youth Orchestra has members from thirty three different communities around our state so includes children from pine bluff That is called the Sturgis music academy we're teaching children violin and cello we started four years ago we thought that children might be interested and we're already up to two hundred and fifty children they're participating in that the building that we're in currently is AS one rehearsal hall and that's it and we are busting at the seams again I've got presentations I can leave with you but recently we just had to have kids they have to have a class outside in the rain because that was the only space available to him because the Youth Orchestra was inside and then then it didn't and then it started raining and I had to run inside and and end up there close of their class we're putting kids in storage rooms for their lessons I'm the reason why the education programs are so important to is the Youth Orchestra and the Sturgis music academy are these are kids that become engineers they're the kids that become our doctors they become them the person that ran southwest power pool was in our Youth Orchestra one of your state legislators isn't was a former member of the Youth Orchestra kids that joined the Youth Orchestra that participate in music learn teamwork discipline and have a group of kids that they can hang out with the have things in common with them and help them with their group group behavior in so and every year when the kids graduate from the Youth Orchestra inevitably they end up with music scholarships to go to college and it was collar shipped millions of dollars in scholarships and it also the kids end up being our music teachers and at some point because you've orders around for fifty years we realize that skewed sixty kids that graduated from Youth Orchestra have come through and now perform the Arkansas symphony orchestra and when we think about economic development with things I was listening does like with the Arkansas symphony is the lead we're the number one employer of professional performing artists in our state are musicians represent again are there in your communities and during COVID we were very fortunate that we did we were able to continue to employer musicians it was very important to us to make sure that we continued to employer musicians because. Code wasn't their fault and so our musicians did as they immediately pivoted our teachers are music teachers the ones are teaching all the Youth Orchestra teaching all those two hundred fifty kids pivoted during spring break came up with the program so they were able to continue to teach those kids on them. Any of you that have kids knowing those children knowing that they had a teacher that was going to be there so they can continue to take the violin was so critical I gave them a lifeboat during that time are musicians also pivoted and created a new program called that time with Bach Lee wing was one of the musicians that performed on bedtime with Bach and it nine o'clock every single night one of our musicians showed up on Facebook and played like a little while bye again it was a sense of structure that was provided every single night I'm I think it was lean your daughter actually played and it was like a two minute local by they did it hundred fifty nights in a row Arkansas Symphony was no it was this caught somebody's eye and we got a whole article in The Washington Post about it and then our concertmaster was interviewed by Kelly Clarkson and when we was all was said and done there were over a million Facebook impressions from over thirty different countries you want to talk about an organization that help make sure that we were noticed in a great way it was Arkansas Symphony was your Arkansas Symphony again we play and Batesville we play gosh we play everywhere we can't thirty three counties across the state the other thing that we realized was we're able to pay that and we put our children's concert online normally we do a children's concert in Russellville and hot springs and in Little Rock and we go when we play in place for kids and ages fourth and fifth grade this year obviously can do a cause of code so what we did is we recorded it at Robinson with our guys enumerated available on live stream for all of our students so twenty three thousand students from across our state participated logged in and watched and one of the fun things this year was one of our guest violinist was from Cross it was a little boy from Crossett he was our soloist and so all across a guy to find it because the mama was very excited and made sure that everyone got to see her son solo so we were using technology so one of things we've learned quickly was the importance of technology the new facility. That we're looking at building the music center will help us double even triple the number of kids that can actually come to our building and take lessons so instead of transforming the lives of four hundred kids every single year will be able to transform the lives at twelve hundred kids every year and that just keeps adding up and adding up but the building that we realize that we have to do is be able to create a streaming studios on because there was such a tension over a million views over twenty three thousand kids we have to be able to broadcast across the state so they'll be a streaming studio in the new music center so that the possibilities there are endless we already know that we have thousands of children that want to participate and then what we're thinking when we have our streaming studios will be able to broadcast in into nursing homes retirement homes in anywhere across the state the can't physically get to a building or get to a concert hall I mean or get get anywhere they'll be able to hear us and say yes we'll be able to serve the state even more with the new music center so we'll be able to triple the number of kids and adults that can participate in learning an instrument we actually had at some point I child at age four and we had we have a community or sure senior adults woman age a hundred and four was participating in taking lessons and to spend the Committee orchestra in our building she had retired she plays the cello and it was really hard for her to walk for cello upper stairs because our current facility is not accessible but the new music center will be accessible so it's possible even a hundred four should be able to come back on players shall under any facility that's these are big reasons why we need any facility we've never in the fifty five years of existence never had our own space and the reality is we're not going to be able to we can't really serve those kids now it's not serving them by having them have to take lessons out in the rain that's really a really horrible look on and we're using the storage rooms were not able to serve and now but we certainly can't grow and triple the number of kids. So we're able to serve and again these are kids all across the state this is not just a little rock thing this is again I can send you the list I was told not to waste time listing every single county or community that participates but yours is probably in their home so I think there's the highlights we able to serve more children will be able to do an economic impact will compete in and serving those kids will be able to employ more professional musicians and professional teachers that serve our entire state as well. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you both for coming today and given this this this update does anybody have a question about anything thank you president we might be back in touch with you later on about ways be my can partner with some things we don't know but because I'll one thing I think we surely have come to is that we have really missed a lot by not connecting arts technology economy and we are determined to do it as they say sometimes come hell or high water because I am convinced that this is the way we can change our entire state and not just have some people be lucky and others of make it despite conditions we can change conditions in the state. We can change conditions in the state at the St one more time and I I am fully aware there are people who are non believers but there are also people who used to think the world was flat and could not see the roundness of the possibility and we're going to see around the globe in our state and Arkansas Senate is always been been here for fifty years as a part of this and that's kind of what we've done one thing at a time that's not working for us we've got to be connected and doing all things at all times and not once we get it in place. That's done no because as we just heard from the people who presented from Lenore and sandy things are constantly changing and that's the kind of world we've got to create for our kids and we know that all right makes a world of difference a lot of people think for example that the folks who were in Silicon Valley or or all stem majors they weren't many of them or philosophy majors are made use of all they were not people one and said just imagine I was going to Silicon Valley no the it was a creative economy that got them there and and that's keeping them there so next meeting you know I told you at the very beginning we were try we would be the first Wednesday except that since we had to have this meeting to may have a direct me to deadline we're not going to meet the first Wednesday of next month but I want you to put on your calendars will be needing on the twenty sixth of October twenty six I'm for all of your colleagues you know who it's Monday and maybe their brains were still little bit filegate senators and representatives maybe you can help them remember to be here but I appreciate all of you for being here on a Monday but this is our way of getting started and thank you missile John and and Goss I know you for a long time so I know who you are thank you for being here and making your presentation today if that's we are adjourned thank you so much.