The Fine Arts Work Center was happy to host the first regional meeting of the Alliance of Artists Communities, the national professional organization that supports and promotes artists communities like FAWC. The regional meeting was attended by staff and board members from more than twenty organizations, most from the northeastern United States. The meeting focused on three important issues: board development, marketing and promotion, and community relations. Funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the board development seminar was led by guest speaker Susan Still, a consultant with Board Source. Deborah Obalil, Executive Director of the Alliance, led the marketing and promotion seminar; while the Work Center’s Executive Director Hunter O’Hanian led a panel of local artists and community leaders in a discussion of the relationship between artists’ communities and their local communities.

The mini-conference was the pilot program for future meetings, and was designed to address the needs of artists’ communities by making networking opportunities affordable and more easily accessible. The intimate, informal style lent itself well to forging new relationships and candid discussion. Many members reported feeling reinvigorated and hopeful for future collaborations. Based upon the success of the meeting at FAWC, the Alliance is exploring potential meeting sites throughout the country.