McKinley County Cultural Enterprise Network
Report of Feasibility Study
Cultural Enterprise Network
McKinley County is a region rich in history, culture, arts, and scenic beauty and thus has many “stories” to share. At the heart of collecting, preserving, and expressing these stories - as well as at the center of cultural identity and economic sustainability - are the region’s cultural enterprises.
Cultural enterprises have long existed as separate and often fiercely independent entities that each struggled to survive. Differences more than commonalities have defined individual identities. Geographic distance and cultural diversity have created both real as well as imagined boundaries. But challenging times demand a new paradigm- one that builds upon commonalities and takes strength from alliances - targets mutual resources - provides a regional identity - and promotes economic development.
Definition: A “cultural enterprise” for this project, is any cultural or arts related organization, business or entity that has a unique “story” and thus educational experience to share. This concept expands the notion of “museum” to include museums, arts councils and galleries, visitor centers, trading posts, cottage industries, individual art studios, and other relevant entitites
Project purpose: to enhance the region’s economic progress as well as cultural enrichment through support and promotion of the county’s “cultural enterprises”.
Project goal: to develop a collaborative network of county “cultural enterprises” that provides a uniform identity, access to resources but allows individual site independence.
Project objectives: to establish a central office with a core professional staff who can nurture the development of a regional “cultural enterprise” network as well as provide a range of museum technical and advisory services.
Regional Coordination of the network’s diverse cultural enterprise partners, including:
Facilitating effective communication between network partners, such as championing the goals and advantages of participating in the network;
Maintaining contact between the cultural enterprise partners;
Hosting regional planning meetings to ensure consistent collaboration; and
Establishing a regional brand identity through the coordination of exhibit or program themes. Each participating member will interpret themes according to their own perspective, with modest financial support in the form of mini grants.
Regional Promotion of the county’s cultural enterprises through:
Establishing a central office in Gallup to direct visitors to locations throughout the county as well as providing technical consultation for area partners;
Distributing promotional materials from each cultural enterprise;
Developing a regional brochure and map to locate each partner and provide directions to the various sites;
maintaining a website to provide information about the “cultural enterprise network” and links to partner sites;
Assisting network partners in developing brochures, marketing materials, and websites;
Maintaning regional billboards as well as local signage to market the region’s cultural enterprises;
Placing ads in regional, national and international publications and media to reach the larger public.
Exhibit develpment to produce effective, low cost presentations;
Collections management to provide skills and direction for effective preservation of artifacts;
Governance and administration to improve the operation of organizations of all sizes;
Marketing to provide skills and insights into more effective promotion;
Fundraising including grant writing and assistance to enhance the means to secure funding for operations, exhibits, and programs.
Funding assistance is key to the success of the Network concept:
Offering modest mini-grants to assist cultural enterprise partners in producing exhibits, public programs, or develpoing marketing materials;
securing resources to support other partner organizational needs such as staffing, advertising or operations;
Develop an endowment to secure continued funding for project personnel, operations and for the granting program.
Summary: The McKinley County Cultural Enterprise Network promises to be a unique program to celebrate and promote the region’s diverse “cultural” assets - for the economic and cultural benefit of all. Success however, depends on mutural respect, shared vision, and a willingness to work toward the success of the whole countywide endeavor. With these factors in place, individual cultural enterprises as well as the collective network are guaranteed a more secure future in which to serve the public and contribute to the economic strength of the region.
KEY PRESENTATION POINTS FROM THURSDAY, NOV. 18th WORKSHOP:
* Outline of museum network includes points for regional structure and coordination, promotion/branding, technical assistance, funding assistance, and shared vision.
* This vision includes ways to link museums with other educational venues, cultural/historical collections, regional heritage, and economic development
* Gallup/McKinley County is the center of the west, and has unique history of trading and distribution that has driven economic development in the region
* Gallup/McKinley County economy is based on/driven by arts and culture (perhaps 50% of economy)
* A regional network should develop opportunities to leverage that impact
* Traders and trading posts must be included in the network
* There are state and national resources available to help with funding or technical assistance for the formation of the network
See below links for additional information:
http://www.wnmu.org/mcf/museums.html
http://www.unm.edu/~bber/pubs/SFCoArtsES.pdf
http://www.museumfoundation.org/index.html