A Mash-up of Creatives in East Central Vermont

The Cornerstone Creative Community of Vermont (3CVT), a committee of professionals working within the local creative economy, is hosting its third regional mash-up at The Great Hall at 100 River Street in Springfield on Thursday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. This networking event is for anyone in Orange and Windsor Counties engaged in arts promotion, art making, the culinary arts, publishing, film, IT, or design.

A breakfast social with time for networking begins at 9 a.m. Caitlin Christiana, executive director of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce and Bob Flint, executive director of the Springfield Regional Development Corporation offer opening remarks at 10. A community discussion and presentations by guest panel members follow, lasting until noon. Panel members include local business owner and guitar maker Scott MacDonald of S.B. Custom Instruments, Sabrina Smith and Robyn Priebe of the Steampunk Society of Vermont, and Nina Jamison, the director of exhibitions at The Great Hall and founder of Gallery at the VAULT.

The event is designed to explore the benefits of the creative economy and the opportunities it presents for communities within a region to align and work smarter, not harder. Anni Mackay, owner and director of BigTown Gallery, said, "We're focused on neighbor-to-neighbor, community-to-community, and region-wide connecting the dots to showcase the extraordinary hive of local creative activity for the benefit of visitors and residents alike."

To RSVP, contact Chris Damiani at: cdamiani@trorc.org .

More than 40 community members recently convened in the basement of the Greensboro United Church. It was the soft opening for Spark, a creative incubator space (and WonderArts project). Already filled with business-enhancing tools like 3D printers and design software, Spark abounds with possibilities for advancing artists' careers and bringing together creatives in the NEK. Need a place to photograph your hand-forged jewelry or letterpress cards? Check! Need a camera to take the photos with? Spark has it. Oh, and a way to design your business cards? They've got that too.

Members, AKA Sparkies, can access top-of-the-line computers and printers as well as support networks, peer reviews, and meeting spaces. Coffee and a ping pong table are available to help clear a clouded mind. The project is still developing, with an official opening set for the fall. Those who join now can access the great stuff Spark already has and provide input on the shape of things to come. Beta memberships are available through June 20. To connect and find out more, visit Spark's new website .

For those who don't live in them, the term "rural areas" may evoke farms, factories, and shops of old - places where traditions reign and creativity is unwelcome. Almost all Vermonters know rurality and know it has no such limitations.

ThinkVermont recently featured a CityLab article called "The Rise of the Rural Creative Class." The piece explores comparisons made by the Rural Establishment Innovation Survey between the amount of innovation in urban and rural businesses. Two important conclusions stand out: rural areas are almost as innovative as urban areas, and abundant arts opportunities increase the innovation in rural businesses. "The arts in rural places are not just a byproduct of the scenery; they play a key role in spurring the innovativeness that ultimately leads to economic development and rising living standards," posits author Richard Florida. Read about the process and qualifiers of the survey at CityLab.com. 

We are spreading the word this summer about the power and potential of Vermont's creative economy. Find us:

If you are planning or know of future events we should attend, please contact Amy Cunningham at acunningham@vermontartscouncil.org . We appreciate opportunities to tell the story of the impact of creativity in Vermont and to share the plans for the Vermont Creative Network.