Storytelling for Civic Pride: There's More Here

This presentation will center on storytelling through the lens of shared public spaces. It’s no secret that our public art, museum, and history records are largely missing the stories of women, people of color, and marginalized communities. 

Laura Sievert-Hesseltine explores the real logistics of how we change the way we tell our community stories. Participants will learn that changing our collective storytelling isn’t just a moral imperative, but a sound investment for our Illinois economies.

With real-world examples, compelling economic data, and a framework that can apply as easily to your local arts council as it does inside local industries, Laura will energize attendees to take a critical look at the stories we’re telling and how expanding the public narrative makes our communities more attractive and competitive. Our communities’ quality of life, talent attraction and retention programs, and future economic vitality depend on our ability to create new cultural conversations.

Let’s find a place to begin new stories based on equity and inclusion for the betterment of us all.