Launch of the Oklahoma Creative Communities Project
OKLAHOMA CITY (December 3rd)— Creative Oklahoma is proud to announce its newest initiative, the Oklahoma Creative Communities Program. Creative Oklahoma defines this new project, Oklahoma Creative Communities, as a group of engaged citizens, across all sectors and within a defined geographic region, that come together with a commitment to a creative problem solving process where new ideas will be generated and implemented. The defined geographic area can be a municipality, Native American nation, or designated districts within Oklahoma’s two metropolitan cities.
This program will help foster a network that will be essential to the vibrancy of the state and further establish Oklahoma as a national destination to live, work, and visit.
What are the priorities?
Each community determines priority issues and ideas that will grow the economic base of the community and improve quality of life for all citizens and then works together on the implementation plan. Partnerships, leadership development, and cross-sector collaboration are key elements of each creative community.
What are the goals?
The goals of the Oklahoma Creative Communities project are threefold: 1) to facilitate the generation of new ideas that would contribute to the economic and societal community transformation and develop implementation plans for each significant idea; 2) to build the creative leadership capacity of each community through schools and local businesses; and 3) to document and highlight stories of individuals and successful projects as case studies to learn from and to bring about state pride. Shared stories about these communities will be widely promoted to inspire the next the next generation of Oklahoma entrepreneurs, teachers, artists, and policy makers.
What is the uniqueness of the project?
Most “creative community” initiatives throughout the nation are either arts and traditional creative industry focused, or solely economic development strategies. In our initial research, we have not discovered any other statewide creative community initiatives that tap into the creative and innovative talent of community residents to develop new solutions, develop a cross-sector inter-disciplinary network of engaged citizens, and nurture the development of creative school, workplace and civic environments where new ideas are encouraged and implemented.
The project will emphasize these unique elements:
- In-depth community engagement and teamwork;
- Validation of citizen ideas through research-based creative problem solving methodologies,
- Engagement of young people and the elderly in the process, as well as other cross-sector community leaders,
- Advancement of a creative community environment that welcomes new ideas and is sustainable.
What are the major benefits?
- Asset mapping of community strengths and centers of excellence
- Partnership with design thinking experts
- Access to Creativity Schools (cSchool), a teaching cadre of Oklahoma-based academicians and practitioners in creativity and innovation
- Special high school youth leadership development focus
- Connections for business community with innovation trainers, leaders and mentors
Important points and dates to remember are the following ones:
- December 3, 2015 Online application process opens
- February 1, 2016 Submission process closes
- March 1st, 2016 Official announcement of selected communities
- You can apply online at www.creativeoklahoma.org/occ until February 1, 2016 6PM.
- Some of the selection criteria include: Current community leadership and evidence of interest and intent to fully participate in the process, strength and diversity of leadership representing all community sectors, current creative events or strategies already in place in community, commitment to a 2017 Creativity event to celebrate and showcase the Oklahoma Creative Communities project
Creative Oklahoma is a statewide non-profit organization advancing Oklahoma’s economy through innovation-focused initiatives in education, commerce and culture. The mission is to transform Oklahoma through projects and collaborative ventures that help develop an improved life quality for its citizens and a more entrepreneurial and vibrant economy. For more information, please visit www.creativeoklahoma.org