METROPOLITAN ARTS COUNCIL OF

Advocate for the arts by educating the community, building relationships with government officials, and supporting the development of public funding for the arts. 1. Advocacy overall: this strategic initiative has been a priority of artskc since 2015, but our most effective impact has been in fiscal years 2021 through 2024. With the leadership of an expert and influential advocacy committee, chaired by strong board members and coupled with countless hours of outreach by the artskc staff and volunteers, artskc has achieved much since 2015. A formal advocacy agenda has been developed for six full years with the position that the arts contribute toward inclusive prosperity in workforce development, entrepreneurship, and affordable housing. (continued on schedule o)advocate for the arts by educating the community, building relationships with government officials, and supporting the development of public funding for the arts. (continued)in fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2020, artskc partnered with regional agencies to elevate the importance of the design and integration of public art in the kci plans. In fiscal years 2021 through 2024, it has worked with key leaders in one of its key focus areas for development of a strategic plan for greater arts infrastructure within this county. We are currently focused on the activation and support of asset mapping and other key strategies in the other counties being served. 2. Annual awards luncheon or major event: in past years, artskc would host an annual luncheon in which individuals, arts organizations, schools and elected officials are provided awards and recognized for their contributions to the regional arts ecology. More than 900 people typically came together each year to support for the arts. Due to covid-19, this luncheon was not held in fiscal year 2021. In fiscal year 2022, artskc shifted to a new format that was known as the arts moves us celebratory events. This included a full-length documentary, in partnership with the kansas city pbs, on the value and importance of the arts for the region, among other events. In the fiscal years of 2023 and 2024, its key event each year was the thought leadership summit. These events, discussed the important intersection between art and well-being. This work is in collaboration of artskc's work with johns hopkins university's neuroarts blueprint, a roadmap for integrating arts, health, and well-being.,3. Hosting and sponsoring advocacy events: artskc provides meeting space and resources for the hosting of events that raise the awareness of the economic value and quality of life that the arts provide to the kansas city region. It typically hosts one event per year. Artskc, with mca, coordinates a group of residents and civic leaders to attend the missouri arts legislative day in jefferson city, missouri. Typically, more than 40 people participate each year. Fiscal years 2021 and 2022 were both held remotely due to covid-19. In fiscal years 2023 and 2024, participation was in person with artskc hosting the local attendees. In 2024, artskc worked with local arts organizations for the formation of the 2026 world cup task force. This task force is working together to ensure that arts and culture are fully recognized when the 2026 world cup games come to kansas city in 2026.4. Arts & economic prosperity study: artskc has worked with the americans for the arts (afta) on its national economic study of the benefits of the arts, both at local and national levels. Artskc has been the regional entity that has worked with afta for this study known as the arts and economic prosperity (aep) study since at least the fourth study was produced (aep4). The aep is typically produced every five years but did experience a delay in 2020 due to the covid19 pandemic. This data is vital to advocacy work to educate elected and government officials and the community about the arts' economic impact. Artskc has again taken the lead role in the sixth such study with afta for the metropolitan region. The work for this study was done in fiscal year 2023 and was completed in fy2024. Artskc hosted serval meetings with community, municipal and civic leaders to roll-out the data from the sixth arts and economic prosperity study (aep6), still in conjunction with afta. Artskc was the lead organization to collect data and survey results that were accumulated with national data for a clear reporting of the economic impact of the arts, both locally and nationally. As advocates for the arts, we know the arts are uniquely positioned to contribute to the improved quality of life of everyone in our region.