Manitobans for the Arts Annual Gathering: New Voices. Fresh Thinking.

Join us on June 4, 2024, at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain (CCFM) for our annual Gathering - New Voices, Fresh Thinking. Presented by Manitobans for the Arts, this event will feature a full day of learning and conversation on how we can continue to engage, sustain, and strengthen the arts.

Featuring a keynote address by renowned cultural strategist Patricia Huntsman and a lineup of conversation facilitators from within the arts sector, this provocative community gathering will inspire new pathways and solutions to address critical issues facing the arts in Manitoba.

The Manitobans for the Arts Annual Gathering is an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and work towards a brighter future for Manitoba's arts and culture sector. Don't miss out on this unique and engaging event - register today!

Apply for One-on-One Sessions on Day 2, June 5, 2024

Apply to have a 20-to-30 minute one-on-one session with Patricia Huntsman that will be scheduled between 9 am and 5 pm on June 5, 2024. Eight to ten applicants will be selected, subject to availability, by a MftA board committee.

Please click here to submit your application.

Breakout Huddles & Conversations for Day 1, June 4, 2024

1) Innovative marketing trends to attract new audiences: A discussion on using strategies such as cross-promotional activities with other industries and sectors, engaging user-generated content and influencer partnerships, and engaging data driven marketing campaigns that enable targeted outreach, to break traditional barriers and cultivate new and diverse audiences.

2) Re-thinking patron engagement models: Designing specific experiences involves a multi-faceted approach. Personalization, interactive-behind the scenes opportunities, and embracing digital platforms can all be used to foster a sense of community that allows artists and organizations to forge deeper connections. Additionally, adapting to ticketing trends and innovations is imperative to appeal to younger generations and to sustain a vibrant and diverse audience base in the future.

3) Strategies for greening the arts: With a renewed call by the Manitoba Arts Council that all organizations detail their plans to minimize their environmental impact, organizations and artists need to actively pursue initiatives that mitigate their footprint.

4) Elements to financial resiliency: Cultivating a culture of adaptability allows artists and arts organizations to evolve with changing trends and remain relevant in an ever-shifting landscape.

5) Fostering healthy workplaces: This complex topic encompasses physical, mental, and emotional aspects of workplace environments, addressing factors such as work-life balance, creative freedom, and interpersonal dynamics. Creating supportive and inclusive cultures where individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to express themselves is essential.

6) Donor stewardship: Explore the strategies and practices employed by arts organizations to engage, recognize, and retain donors effectively. From personalized communication and exclusive experiences to transparent reporting and meaningful impact updates, donor stewardship aims to create trust, loyalty, and continued investment in the organization's mission.

About Patricia Huntsman (www.patriciahuntsman.ca)

Patricia is a two-time nationally award-winning cultural strategist. She has worked across Canada and internationally in senior roles in the creative industry for over 25 years. Her British Columbia-based team practice offers a full roster of arts management, cultural policy writing and planning, and communication services tailored to Building Communities Through Culture.

In 2016, Patricia completed a two-part residency program New Fundamentals: Leadership in the Cultural and Creative Industries at the Banff Centre. She holds a Diploma in French Studies (18th-20th C. French Literature and Art History) from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and an MBA from North America’s oldest public university—the University of New Brunswick, where she also earned a B.A. in experimental psychology (visual perception concentration). An avid supporter of visual and performing arts, she has served as a director on notable boards across Canada and maintains active memberships in professional associations including the Canadian Museums Association, the Creative City Network of Canada and Americans for the Arts.​

About Manitobans for the Arts

Manitobans for the Arts advocates for arts culture and heritage in Manitoba. Our mission is to create a unified voice for the arts through relationship building, public engagement and advocating for all creative industries in Manitoba. Manitobans for the Arts commits to continuously engage in practices that are transparent, inclusive, cooperative and non-partisan as it develops programs and supports the community.