On February 28th, 2025, Senator Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman and State Representative Bryan Shupe hosted an Arts & Culture Caucus webinar alongside the Delaware Arts Alliance (DAA). The Arts & Culture Caucus presented Delaware Arts Alliance’s CREATE Plan, actionable recommendations to support the art sector, and future opportunities the panel could participate in to further engagement and advocacy.
The caucus meeting was attended by the following legislators: Senator Tizzy Lockman (D), Senator Marie Pinkney (D), Representative Jeff Spiegelman (R), Representative Melanie Ross Levin (D), Representative Mara Gorman (D), Representative Sherae’a Moore (D), Representative Franklin Cooke (D), and Representative Sophie Phillips (D). Aids were present on behalf of Representative Bryan Shupe (R), Senator David Sokola (D), and Senator Kyra Hoffner (D). The webinar was also open to members of the public, with 25 members of the public in attendance.
During the Arts & Culture Caucus Webinar, Neil Kirschling Executive Director of the DAA went over the Creative Economy Advancement & Tourism Expansion (CREATE) Plan and recommendations based on data and insights from the CREATE report. For many of the legislators in attendance, this was their first exposure to the CREATE Plan, and many expressed the desire for it to inform a policy agenda for the caucus and General Assembly in support of the arts.
Key recommendations and takeaways from the CREATE Plan’s findings on Delaware’s creative economy turned the discussion towards 25 actionable recommendations for partners at the state, city, and local levels. These recommendations aim to stimulate economic activity, expand existing cultural offerings, provide more equitable public education and access, tackle inequality and position Delaware as a national leader in creative economy development. Read a summary of the CREATE Plan Recommendations Here.
The next Arts & Culture Caucus meeting will be on March 27 “March for the Arts in Education”, at Tatnall Building from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The panel will discuss “Pathways in the Arts: From K-12 to Career”, in which educators, students, recent graduates, and employers will celebrate the role of arts education in career development, share insight into the ways to bridge the gap between education and industry in the creative sector, and discuss relevant CREATE Plan recommendations. Additional arts advocacy will be from 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. where attendees are encouraged schedule time to meet with their legislators at Legislative Hall. The following Arts & Culture Caucus meeting will be on May 15, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at Tatnall Building (Room 112). Register for the next Arts & Culture Caucus meetings here: https://bit.ly/ACC25rsvp
Delaware Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay is convening stakeholders to discuss advancing the CREATE Plan recommendations in partnership with Delaware Arts Alliance. The events starts March 13th, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on Zoom. Additional meetings will be held on zoom the second Thursday of every other month from 9:30-10:30AM. The March meeting will be discussing pathways in the arts, in celebration of March For The Arts in Education. Attendees will discuss current barriers and future opportunities to improve career development opportunities for secondary education students and pathway courses and associate degrees related to the creative economy.
This meeting will lay the foundation for March 27th, 2025, March for the Arts Advocacy Day as Delaware Arts Alliance communicates with legislators on bridging the gap between students and careers in creative fields.
Register for the Lt. Governor’s Creative Economy Convening using this link: https://bit.ly/LTGOVCEC