Economic
Development Task Force
Meeting
Outcomes and Next Steps: July 13, 2005
MCC Grant Task
Force Objective:
Develop a
strategy to use our cultural assets to stimulate economic activity that is…
¶ Year-round
¶ Sustainable
¶ Measurable and recognizable
July
13th Meeting Purpose:
Examine initial list of options/opportunities and select the “vital few”
focus areas that will translate into an actionable strategy.
July
13th Meeting Deliverables:
1.
A list of key focus areas (initiatives) that will create the foundation for the
strategy. We will select based upon the following criteria:
§
Actionable
§
High Impact
2.
Initial plans and recommendations for these key focus areas
3.
An understanding of ways to engage the community and build acceptance,
enthusiasm and momentum around these initiatives.
Survey
Update:
- The
survey sub-committee presented a compilation of survey findings which
spanned from 1988 through 2004.
The survey respondents covered resident and non-resident property
owners, businesses and visitors.
The “cliff note” conclusions identified…
(1) a “striking consistency” over time and a
remarkable consensus
on goals and strategies, and (2) extremely strong and wide support for arts
industry development and expanding the season
- The MCC
Grant Task Force members provided input and “blessed” the survey – they
also asked the sub-committee to be particularly mindful about distribution
locations to avoid skewing results. Michelle is working with Clyde Barrow
to provide appropriate coverage.
Decisions:
- The Task
Force decided they would be successful if they delivered these products:
ü Deliver a
strategic plan to fulfill the MCC Grand requirements
ü Put something
in motion in 2006 that is recognizable by the town and it’s visitors
ü Provide a
premier case for funding recommendations that go beyond the MCC Grant’s
intention.
- The Task
Force chose the following priorities as the foundation for the strategy as
well as ways to demonstrate change and progress to the community.
§
Leverage Assets
§
Ways to “dress-up” Commercial Street
§
Creation of a virtual “Cultural Center”
§
Collaborate on year round programming
§
Marketing
§
Create One overall brand for the town
§
Supportive Organization
§
Innovative packaging
- The task
force decided to defer the stakeholder analysis until specifics
surrounding these recommendations are fleshed out.
Recommendations and plans for these key initiatives:
Leveraging Cultural Assets:
1. Recommendation:
Ways to “light-up” Commercial Street
as an economic catalyst to showcase Provincetown’s arts & cultural
offerings
§
Lights, “make-up” (banners,
storefronts)
§
Upgrade visitor/community amenities –
transportation, signage, restrooms, welcome center, trash receptacles, etc…
§
Utilize empty stores for cultural
events & attractions
§
Interactive
2. Recommendation:
Creation of a virtual “Cultural Center” as a visible way to tie together
Provincetown’s Cultural assets. This
would represent the “product” for marketing to sell. The “Cultural Center” will establish real and tangible links
between museums, the harbor, local talent, the library, art galleries, theaters
and the other offerings listed in the cultural asset inventory. It may be
possible to build on the Campus Provincetown model.
Action Steps
What: Group to convene to develop the
“light-up” concept initially – once this is developed, the group will take on
the creation of the “cultural center”
Who: Tim, Alix, Hunter, Lynne, Bill,
Paul, Ellen and Candy
When: July
25–10am Town Hall Conference Room A
Champion: (team lead): Ellen
3. Recommendation:
Provide the tools and the means to collaborate on year round programming. This includes the coordinating of a calendar
and themes. The group will examine ways
to leverage physical assets. They will look at opportunities to include music,
history workshops and campus Provincetown.
Action Steps – this follows the activity listed above in numbers 1 &
2
What:
Who:
When:
Champion (team lead):
Marketing:
4. Recommendation:
Create one overall brand for the town – recommend a “line and logo”
Action Steps
What:
a. Brainstorm brand
options with business owners, Organizations and cultural leaders
b. “shop-it” on the
street as a validation step
c. Create a clear,
user friendly implementation plan with guidelines for use & ways to get and
confirm buy-in
Who: VSB & an experienced brand
expert
When: August
Champion: (team lead): Lynne
5. Recommendation:
Establish an infrastructure to support marketing initiatives
Action Steps
What:
a. Find an urban
planner to make recommendations for establishing a means to achieve “honest
brokerage”
b. Explore
feasibility of producing a web-site--include funding options
Who: Michelle will conduct a search
for an urban planner
When: next
2 weeks
Champion: (team lead): Michelle
6. Recommendation: Create innovative packaging—ways to
fluidly package existing assets ex: one
group sponsors and other groups wrap around it. Provide a process for the VSB, Chamber, Businesses and the Arts
to work together.
Action
Steps
What:
a. Write-up successful packaging best practices & make
recommendations upon those
b. Find funding to make this permanent & consistent
Who:
Elizabeth, Gabby, Win & Steve
When: July 26th 10:00 am @ Bayside Betsy’s
Champion:
(team lead): Elizabeth
Each
sub-team will be reporting their progress at the July 28th MCC Grant
Task Force meeting. The agenda for
that meeting will follow.
Task
Force Process, Progress & Time Line
Complete: 6/1 6/23 --- 7/28 Then… Town Commits
- Clarify Scope - Brainstorm - Key
Recommendations - Go/No-go
- Common Language
- Reality check -
Funding needs - Funding
Options
- Working together - Assess impact
- “Socialization” plan -
Structure
Meetings schedule and accomplishments:
ü
June 1 9:30 -12:00 –
established meeting ground rules, clarified scope and deliverables and
brainstormed a list of list of cultural assets.
ü June 23 9:30 - 12:30 – Fine tuned and
categorized the list of cultural assets, brainstormed and categorized a list of
options and opportunities to leverage them – placed them in these buckets:
§
How we will market our “cultural
products and services”
§
Ways to leverage our cultural assets
§
How we will fund these programs
§
How we will organize ourselves
ü July 13 9:30 -
12:30 – Identified key initiatives for initial focus in the Marketing and
Leveraging Assets categories.
§
Leverage Assets
•
Ways to “dress-up” Commercial Street
•
Collaborate on year round programming
•
Creation of a virtual “Cultural Center”
§
Marketing
•
One
overall brand for the town
•
Infrastructure – Honest broker and website
•
Innovative packaging
July
28 9:30 - 12:30 --
Aug.11 9:30 - 12:30
Sep. 8 9:30 - 12:30