saranac lake artworks
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Notes from Meetings - Dec 16, 2010
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Adirondack Business Center Meeting Dec 16, 2010

Present: Peter Seward, Burdette, Tim, Diane, Mark, Georgeanne, Bob, Larry, Donna, Cat, Courtney, Sandy

Marc Compeau, Director of Entrepreneurship Center, Clarkson University

Strategic Planning

Strengths - how to capitalize on them?
How do we define ourselves?
How do we know what we want to do?

Review: we have created a community of artists that promote the fine arts in this community. Far from a finished product - still trying to define ourselves. Main purpose was to have a unified voice for galleries downtown and joint advertising. Other businesses have seen what we did and are interested in building upon it. Expand to include other arts: culinary, healing, adventure, etc. However we are not bringing all these other arts into ArtWorks - but ArtWorks is fitting into the greater AdkArts organization.

What defines a member of ArtWorks? Mark K: As we have evolved, one of the things we wrestled with is do we need membership standards. We have tried to be pretty inclusive. However our membership guidelines and fee structure does somewhat serve the purpose of separating supporters and amateurs from professionals. Maybe we want to have a student/junior level?

Marc C: perhaps full professional membership should be by nomination?

Mission defines who we are today.
  • a significant part of the community - helping to define the community
  • is it defined by it’s inclusiveness or it’s level of artwork and quality of galleries?
  • Guild is a more an exclusive business
  • Bluseed is more the inclusive not-for-profit
  • other business/galleries have various levels of inclusiveness
  • we all help each other out - because helping one helps all
  • comradeship among artists - sharing - community of like-minded people
  • Saranac Lake does have a long history of involvement in the arts

Stakeholders of importance to ArtWorks - internal to community & external
  • Patrons - who buy and collect art
  • Artists (ArtWorks members & the greater Arts: culinary, healing, adventure, etc)
  • Participants - who attend our events
  • Supporting businesses - both arts related and other funky, unique shops
  • Community “influencers” - mayor, Chamber, important people, elected leaders, other organizations that draw people to the community
  • Media - within and outside the area
  • Artists outside the area
  • Tourists - they have a good time - they go home and tell people about it

Who comes to Saranac Lake vs Lake Placid? Is Lake Placid a destination? Yes (a Main St with Olympic venues) Is Saranac Lake? not as much - SL is more a community - a very genuine town
SL gets more recreation folks, people who really love the Adirondacks

Vision is where we want to be in the future - 5, 10 years.

Clarkson Marketing Model
  • What does the customer want? - what does Saranac Lake need to do to be the “arts center”
  • What can we provide? - signage? what else?
  • In between - USP - Unique Selling Point - what is most unique about the arts and SL that we can “sell”?

VISION: WHAT DO WE WANT TO BECOME? To make Saranac Lake known as an arts destination
  • We want to survive - we do not need to be affluent
  • Supporting & nurturing the livelihood of the fine arts community
  • Support the livelihood of the rest of the community (the influencers) - be an attractive cultural enrichment for everyone
  • We want to make art THE THING in Saranac Lake
  • We want to build a community that is defined by thriving artists, prospering businesses, natural beauty
  • Grow the community while maintaining the creative arts balance - (how do we define this? 20% more artists while the regular population remains the same?)

Marc: we should take on the signs that welcome the people to the community - offer to pay for and maintain them; ArtWorks logo on it.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO NOW

ArtWorks supports the development of the community of Saranac Lake by:
  • Providing a nurturing and supportive environment for improving the lives and prosperity of regional artists
  • Supporting the vibrancy and diversity of the business environment that defines our community
  • Enhancing the community’s exposure to fine arts


Inclusiveness?

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