Arts organizations in southeast Iowa are subscribing to the expression “there is strength in numbers.”
They’ve come together to form the Arts Collective of Southeast Iowa.
Elizabeth Pappas, Executive Director of the Art Center of Burlington, said it began with an informal meeting a couple years ago.
“And we said, look, we’ve got a ton of great arts organizations in this relatively small footprint. We’re all trying to boost arts visibility in our area. How can we do that, how can we join forces to amplify our voices?” she said.
“We were all into it. I was really happy to see how excited people were, and this collective understanding that the arts ecosystem when we work together, we’re better for it.”
The Arts Collective of SEI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Each organization pays an annual membership fee for the group. The money goes into its marketing efforts, which include a monthly calendar of events that lists at least one event for each of the 11 organizations:
- Art Center of Burlington
- Burlington Civic Music
- Burlington Lunchtime Chamber Music Series
- Burlington Municipal Band
- Burlington Riverfront Entertainment
- The Capitol Theater in Burlington
- The Fort Madison Art Center
- The Legacy Theater in Carthage (in Carthage in western Illinois)
- Night Cap Listening Lounge in Burlington
- Players Workshop Theater in Burlington
- The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra
Pappas said the original group of 11 felt like the right number for getting started and allowed them to work out any bugs.
She said now they’re looking to expand and include other arts organizations in the region that she said are doing outstanding work.
“There are certainly many, many other organizations that we would love to partner with because we all have the same mission,” Pappas said. “And that’s to continue to grow and expand and nurture arts and culture because those are the things that drive people to a place.”
She said the arts promote economic development, and they also promote a human bond.
“More and more we live in a world that feels less and less human and less and less connected. The arts are always going to be the place where you’re going to feel connected to people,” she said.
Pappas said that connection can come through listening to music, watching a play, viewing an art exhibit, or any number of other forms of artistic expression. She said it’s essential to protect the arts and places that allow people to think freely and engage with those expressions.
Jim Priebe attended the initial meeting for creating the collective. He was president of the Burlington Municipal Band Foundation at the time.
He said each of the groups has its own followers who might be interested in something happening with another arts organization but are not aware of it.
“We just felt that sort of pooling our resources could only benefit the whole group,” Priebe said.
Priebe is also in the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, which performs its Masterworks Concert Series in Burlington, Mt. Pleasant, and Ottumwa. He said they would also like to reach out and perform concerts in Keokuk, Ft. Madison, and other communities throughout southeast Iowa.
Kent Lewis of the Players Workshop Theater in Burlington said people are willing to drive to see things, so it makes sense to promote events from throughout the region.
“You don’t necessarily have to like everything, but there are a lot of things you can experiment and find out which one you like the best,” Lewis said.
He said the arts are fulfilling and make you think. He feels a person is more well-rounded if they have arts in their background.
Lewis said since joining the collective, he feels more aware of what else is happening in the region and has attended more events.
Pappas believes the Art Center of Burlington is successful only if other arts organizations in the region are also successful
“We all have the same mission. We all have the same north star, which is to promote the arts and to provide that resource for our community,” she said.
“I think just optically for the community to see us working together, not against one another, has been really great.”
Pappas said she’s gained colleagues and mentors through the Arts Collective of SEI. She said they’re all trying to drive arts and culture in their communities.
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