CULTURAL
PLANNING
PROCESS

What is Cultural Planning?

Cultural planning is a process that takes stock of existing cultural resources and asks how they can be maintained, enhanced, or developed to continue to improve our lives and the vitality, livability, and success of our community.

Our Cultural Plan will ensure that the arts, culture, history and heritage of the Pikes Peak region are integrated into all aspects of the community and positioned to strengthen the region. Our goals:

• Increase access, civic engagement and participation in the cultural life of the region.
• Engage community members in hands-on learning about cultural planning by
  demonstrating that we have heard their concerns, issues, dreams and aspirations.
• Integrate the arts into the social, economic and political fabric of the community so that
  our cultural “fingerprint” includes a broad base of cultural amenities, including our military presence, natural environment, faith centers and sporting centers.
• Identify needed actions to strengthen the sustainability of arts providers and enhanced
  ability of artists and arts groups to serve the community.

Beginning of Cultural Planning Process 2008
Inspired and galvanized by the statewide Collaborative Community Planning Process in 2008 and 2009, COPPeR has officially begun a two-phase cultural planning process. In April 2008, Colorado Springs (with COPPeR as initiator) was selected by Arts for Colorado to be part of a statewide collaborative community planning process launched in conjunction with the National Performing Arts Conference in Denver. At NPAC in June, Planning Team members attended training sessions on cultural planning.

Informed by the conference, biweekly meetings of the Planning Team then focused on building partnerships and setting parameters for the plan. This work culminated in an online arts community needs assessment survey and the 2008 Arts Summit: Imagination and Innovation, which brought more than 150 artists, arts administrators, and arts educators together to develop a vision for the future.

 

Ongoing Work
Through 2009, the Planning Team continues gathering information and
conducting research through targeted focus groups, interviews with key leaders, and additional public meetings. COPPeR is on track to complete Phase 1 (preparation, information gathering and research) of this two-phase cultural plan by December 2009. Phase 2 will include assessment and analysis by synthesizing gathered information; identifying opportunities and issues; discerning community priorities and potential benefits; and writing and disseminating the plan.

Parallel Efforts Informing Our Plan
The timing for this effort could not be better. The cultural planning effort coincides with several complementary planning processes taking place in the community. COPPeR staff and board members, as well as Planning Team members, are active in all of these other planning processes, creating a natural and desired synergy for shared data-gathering and goal alignment.

Dream City: Vision 2020 is a grassroots, community-owned project that engages people in meaningful dialogue to identify common visions and values. COPPeR serves as one of Dream City’s four presenting partners among a broader consortium of 40 businesses and organizations. To date over 100 facilitators have been trained to lead community discussions that already have reached over 1,000 people. With national organization Everyday Democracy advising the process, this visioning plan emphasizes the important voice of ordinary citizens.

Operation 6035, (6035 is our elevation, in case you were wondering) seeks to identify primary job generators and devise creative solutions for attracting young professionals. A diverse coalition of community, government and business organizations have participated in this broad study to chart a course for the future of economic development in the Pikes Peak, Colorado region. Operation 60ThirtyFive is a multi-faceted, six-month project to develop a comprehensive regional economic development strategic plan for the Pikes Peak region.

The Quality of Life Indicators Report is the product of Pikes Peak United Way and more than 100 interested community leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. The data, or indicators, are quantitative measures of the quality of community life. By tracking data over time, the report helps the community understand who we are, where we've been and where we're going.

How could Colorado Springs Rock? This postcard campaign aims to elevate the voices of the community, share great ideas, and inspire people to act. The postcards are intended to be catalysts for creativity, dialogue, passion, and leadership. Half community-visioning, half PostSecret- all people are invited to submit a postcard that describes ideas on how to build a vibrant city, one that elicits pride and passion.

Ongoing research efforts and general arts observations are always available at COPPeR's blog. Please click here to join the conversation!