North Idaho Alliance Women of Impact: The importance of art
Marilee Wallace
The National Endowment for the Arts serves as a valuable resource for my research regarding our December Women of IMPACT Roundtable discussion on the Arts in our region and our role as creative placemakers. A creative placemaker is an individual who actively employs arts, culture and design strategies to enhance the quality of life within a community by transforming public spaces, fostering a sense of place, and promoting community engagement through creative initiatives. These often involve collaborations with local artists, residents and organizations.
As we approach the new year, the National Endowment for the Arts reminds us that this is an ideal time to reflect on growth and set intentions for advancing our community’s vision for the arts. As agents of change, we must shift our mindsets to fully embrace the impact that art has on a community. The advancement of creative placemaking as a serious practice is not solely about the quantity of projects undertaken; it also involves rethinking the relationships and operational frameworks among artists, arts organizations and the field of community development.
The Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture Alliance exemplifies the importance of establishing a foundational mindset and protocols centered on creative placemaking. This organization acts as a bridge, connecting various stakeholders and serving as a vital link between artists and the community. Through strategic partnerships, the Alliance effectively collaborates to achieve its goals and positively impacts our community through art, demonstrating exceptional progress in this regard.
Creative placemaking is not a novel concept in our region; it has been in development for nearly 23 years, initiated by local art connoisseurs who recognized the need to unite local talent. This effort led to collaboration with the Chamber to form a discovery committee, which successfully sought grant funding that enabled the chamber to hire a part-time staff member, thereby allowing the programs to take root. Today, the Alliance operates as an independent organization, with some of the original initiatives still thriving, such as the 2nd Friday Artwalk downtown and the Arts Buzz monthly meetings, where artists of all genres are welcome to connect and collaborate. Newer programs, including the Riverstone Summer Concert Series and free “little art galleries” scattered throughout the town, have also emerged. Initiatives like Art Connect, which pairs musicians with community elders, enrich lives through music. Remarkably, all these offerings are free and accessible to the public, reflecting the Alliance's belief that art should be available to everyone.
Our community is witnessing an influx of artists, and major film productions are being established here, thanks to local creative companies like Paradox Studios. Actors, musicians, sculptors, photographers, dancers, painters, naturalists, producers, directors, authors, and many others are finding a home in North Idaho. Let us embrace this new year by uniting our talents to transform this region into a creative hub that inspires all who engage with it.
The Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture Alliance can be found at artsandculturecda.org and welcomes artists and art supporters to get involved through membership.
The Women of IMPACT series is a nine-month roundtable initiative addressing pertinent topics that affect our community. Our next discussion will focus on “Commerce.” All events hosted by the North Idaho Alliance can be found at nia-impact.com or nia.ticketgoat.com for event registration. I look forward to seeing you next month!
• • •
Marilee Wallace, IOM, president/CEO of the North Idaho Alliance Women of Impact. The Women of Impact Leadership Roundtable meets once a month for a nine-month series, and we base our monthly agenda on the word IMPACTED. She can be reached at marilee@theniallaince.com.
