ArtsOasis Spotlights Creative Economy

It all started around four years ago in the middle of a torrid desert summer. I found myself sitting in a room with around 40 other members of our creative community in the valley.

Artists, gallery owners, filmmakers, actors, writers, architects, graphic designers, photographers, dancers, art teachers, museum staff and a variety of other members of our community met to discuss the desert's burgeoning cultural scene.

Today, I am proud to sit on the board of ArtsOasis, an organization that evolved slowly over the course of the last few years. It operates as a connector, educator and an advocate for this important sector of our local high and low desert societies. We finally have a string tying this sector together and the community has come to recognize not only that we exist, but that we contribute to our area's economic health overall.

One resource that has cropped out of this organization is the website, www.artsoasis.org. Membership is free and anyone who lives and works in this arena can become a member and post a listing about themselves and their services.

There is an online listing of events and links to headline articles written weekly about members of our creative economy. A newsletter is sent twice a month to all members keeping them apprised of news and highlighting interesting cultural offerings and activities going on in our region. The site is used by people all over seeking things to do while in the desert that revolve around the arts and by members of the creative economy who wish to keep visitors aware of what is being offered in the form of one time or annual events.

Recently, ArtsOasis merged with and became an initiative of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) to help provide a path for implementing CVEP's Blueprint plan for development of this "Creative Arts and Design" sector, one of four sectors targeted for growth over the next five years.

In a recent press release, Tom Flavin, President and CEO of CVEP said: “We have collaborated on specific initiatives since 2009, but a closer partnership will leverage the capabilities of both organizations to maximize economic impact in the creative cluster.”  

What does this mean? According to ArtsOasis President Robert Stearns, "First, it signifies that our business leaders recognize the potential for members of the creative economy and creative organizations and businesses to positively impact and diversify our region’s economy: to grow jobs and wages and attract new talent and enterprises."

"Second, it enables ArtsOasis to join with similar efforts in other communities that have developed effective ways to accomplish the same goals. Third, it gives ArtsOasis a stronger position from which to promote these creative resources and assets to a broader, even global, market."  

If you are a member of the creative community of the desert, visit ArtsOasis.org and become a member for free today.