Missed a session you wanted to attend? Browse the list of session reports below (please note only the most recent 60 or so are listed below, due to a glitch we are trying to fix), or click on a tag on the main blog page to browse reports by topic.

You can also download this book of proceedings (PDF).

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Initiator: Frank Popper

Summary Highlights:

We had a wide-ranging discussion whose conclusion was that ugliness is
subjective. Willa Spicer, for instance, pointed out that she grew up in
Steubenville, Ohio, and after that every place looked beautiful. We agreed
 that NJ mixed schlock and hodgepodge, was halfway to everywhere, had all
kinds of diversity to offer, was in thrall to home rule, and was never
boring.

What did we want to happen next? We agreed that more people should involve
themselves in local revitalization, especially representatives of
organized crime. We thought local versions of the 1930s' Works Progress
Administration  (WPA) might be helpful. We had no suggestions for funding
them.

Here are the REAL photos of the Closing Remarks by individual participants at the Creative NJ Conference.

(download)

Click here to download:

closing-remarks-from-day-two-of-the-creative-new-jersey-conference-GbgVlUqWzc6Nt0GNwxiX.zip (7.5 MB)

Initiator: Heather McCall, Main Street New Jersey

Participants:
Mona Hennessy, Luna State Company
Kadie Dempsey, Arts Council of the Morris Area
Ruthi Byrne, Zinn Graves & Field
Christopher Seiz, Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences
Regan Young, RYEBREAD Architects
Eileen Kennedy, American Littoral Society
Beth McDonald, The Community Advocates
Marianne Lods, Millville Development Corp.
Ronda Abbruzzese, Main Street Woodbury
Kevin Li, The Pixel Bush
Brian Guallpa, St. Mary's of the Assumption High School
Barbara Reuther, Arts Council of the Morris Area
Vickie J. Snoy, Newark Boys Chorus School
Margaret O'Gorman, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey
Janice Selinger, NJN Public Television & Radio
Robert Lewandowski, NJ LECET
Kathy Collins, Monmouth Cares
Ruth Fost, Pushcart Players
Molly Kaufman, HANDS
Zach Honoroff, The Hamilton Partnership fo Paterson
Mary Reece, Foundation for Educational Administration
Elmi Ventura, St. Mary's of the Assumption HS

Summary Highlights:

"You owe it to us all to get on with what you're good at"  -W.H. Auden

Does New Jersey provide a space where our creative & innovative professionals and local capacity builders can actually "get on with what their good at"? Or are we setting our most talented leaders up for a cycle of churn and burn in our hard working nonprofit sectors?

What are the current support mechanisms in place that are working to support leaders? What are some of the hardships that are preventing our leaders from reaching their leadership capacity--or worse-- leaving their field of expertise altogether?  What new support methods can we develop to keep and retain our creative and innovative NJ leaders?

CURRENT SUPPORT METHODS THAT ARE WORKING FOR OUR LEADERS:

Internal:

• Board level support (respect, encouragement, professional autonomy)
• Constituent Recharge "The people that I help feed me with a positive feeling"
• Small committed staff members to share the load - Immediacy of work-  having action oriented opportunities
• Flexibility & actual work environment(hours, dress, humanity, laughter)

Extrernal:

• Fundraising Events/Celebrations "I love to tell the story of our work & mission
• Technical Assistance & Training
• Third Party Recognition

Personal:

• The leader's own internal fire & passion "It doesn't feel like work because I love my work so much"
• Reflecting on a Job Well Done- such as completing an annual report or grant summary
• Executive Director Networking/Venting Opportunities- such as Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation's "In Good Company" program, and the Rutger's Newark ED Networ

WHAT CHALLENGES ARE AFFECTING OUR LEADER'S ABILITY TO "GET ON WITH WHAT THEIR GOOD AT?"

• Sometimes feels like a one person band
• Being the sole communications hub for the organization is very time consuming
• Battling bad news or negativity about your cause
• Unappreciative constituents "What have you done for me lately?"
• Lack of Capacity "It's all on me" or "Great Job! Now do more!
• Funding/Fundraising Challenges
• Board members are not living up to their responsibilities
• Poor Economy has resulted in less resources, less services, less funders, less earned income, salary cuts, layofs, cutting corners
• Frequent Turnover of Key staff members, especially Development Director positions
• Undervalued- low salary, no/low benefits—New professionals are not being offered living wages.
• Can feel threatened by transition

 WHAT ACTION STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO BETTER RETAIN & SUPPORT OUR CREATIVE LEADERS?

1.      Better Benefits & Compensation- Small staffed innovative & creative agencies are currently not eligible for many health and retirement plans.  Either they don’t meet the minimum number of full time employees or the available coverage can be cost prohibitive.

• The group suggested looking into current NJ Group Health Legislation to find out the current status.
• Look into a nonprofit Lobbying Group- maybe the NJ Council of Grantmakers- to move this agenda forward.
• During tough times look at creative or in-kind options to compensate nonprofit leaders.  Maybe a board member has a shore house that can be offered for one week?

2.       Time to Relax and Recharge- 50% of our discussion group are not taking even one week of consecutive vacation time.  Many Executive Directors are working over 70 hours per week with no extended breaks, a major contributor to burnout.

• Negotiate a rolling or flex time schedule
• Make yourself take that vacation time
• Look into developing a Leadership Sabbatical program with funding for a temporary replacement/auxiliary staffing provided by a third party.

3.       Improve Opportunities for Professional Development – currently 50% of the group attends no professional development during the year.

• currently all training is NP based. "No next level training that I can afford"
• needed training:  Leadership/delegation
• not enough opportunities in my discipline in NJ
• Need regular IRS rule updates (esp. subcontractor IRS updates)
  •            Center for Nonprofits, LaSalle Nonprofit Center are potential resources.
• Need Tech/Social Media tool training to lessen workload ease operations

4.       Elevate the profile of these professional leadership positions.

• Need development of additional professional recognition, levels of certification.
• Better respect for the various leadership talents that Director’s possess.  If this was in place, more opportunities for upward movement would be available so that leaders could use their experience to inform policy, perform consultant work, and further career growth.
• Development of a Nonprofit fellowship prize (similar to McArthur awards) with a direct monetary award going to individual to create a work in their field that would contribute back to the community of leaders.
• Recognition of exceptionally managed nonprofits and their executives.  This is usually FREE, but leaders are taught to always give credit to others in their organization before themselves.
• Development of a NJ Creative Leaders Retreat.  A multi-day opportunity for experienced professionals to recharge, re-focus and hone leadership skills in a safe space.  Could be focused on women leaders (as the majority of our group comprised of women leaders), arts, community leaders or another discipline.

5.       Strengthen Organizational Operations

• Articulation of Mission/Annual Workplan (ability to say no, ability to stave off mission creep)
• Funding for interns- need a longer term intern to be really useful (1 yr).
  •         Landmark Volunteers Program
  •         American Littoral Society board annual fundraises 2K for interns

We hope to move this agenda forward with the partners identified above and link this group back with existing opportunities.  There are also ideas from the group which would be new for NJ and would require sponsorship and support from an organization looking to fund capacity building and leadership initiatives.

Initiator: Bobbie Felip

Participants: Shauwea Hamilton, Marilynn Schneider, John Loughton, Laura Packer, Steve Runk, John McEwen, Elizabeth Murphy, Swena Gulati, John Pietrowski, Dan Aubrey, Linda Melamed, Krystle Seit, Rachel Evans, Cathy Griffin, Joni Elliott, Jamie Cloud, Ronda Abruzzese, Terri McNichol, Ann Betterton, Maureen Heffernan

Summary highlights and key points from our discussion:

Language:
Inclusive
Descriptive
Comprehensive
Useful to users--who does it or make it happen, and those who understand and learn

Measuring Creativity:
Quality criteria = makes it possible to achieve
Strong belief in benchmark and metrics
Pleasure return on investment
Organic assessment
Rubrics work
Assessment addict
Ways to measure on paper
Multilayered to capture and discover
Pre-service for teachers
Student teachers
Characteristics of Creativity
Intrinsic language for others--theater
Persuasive agreement for value and feedback
Creating tool kit seeking benchmarks
Resources needed to make the case

Creativity is:
Generation of new construct/form
Value to creators and all involved--system, participant
Synthesis of previous information or experience to . . .
Ability to see what is not there (human)
Nature's ability to organize toward life--situational intentionality/intuitive logic
What can we learn from nature? ex. ecosystems
How do you differentiate between creativity and adaption?
3 levels of creativity--trivial creativity, personal creativity, historic creativity

Characteristics of Creativity:
Unconventional thinking
Process--take apart and make new
Inherent
Advancement
Transformational
Change in the "status quo"
Surprising
Emotional
Evokes emotion--exciting, dangerous,  satisfying, disruptive
Thought provoking--thinking, rethinking
Consciously shifts thinking
Participatory
Insight engagement
Opportunistic--turns problem into opportunity
Empowering
Orgasmic
Affirming
Imaginative
Reflective
Taps power of limits

How do we envision moving these ideas forward?
Refine and categorize the list 
Identify the key components to measure
Determine whether one rubric will be effective across creative areas

Photos taken during the afternoon sessions on Day 2 of the Creative New Jersey Conference.

(download)

Click here to download:

Photos_of_Closing_Remarks_Day_.zip (3.91 MB)

Initiator: Tahirih Smith

Attendees - John Gaskins, Alison Hayes, Athena Sarafides, Dee Billia, Jef Buehler, Peggi Strumfels, Marilyn Schneider, Dan Aubrey, Isha Vyas

What does living "creatively" mean to you?
- Saving $ / Reducing cost of living
- Using less resources
- Living with less clutter
- Re purposing things/ rethinking waste
- Transforming/re assessing values
- Simply being/ Enjoying experiences. finding opportunities to learn and create experiences.
- Being open to other cultures and different ways of living.
- Producing more with less.
- Celebrate the moment.
- Bringing the concept to work.
- Keep it simple...
- Increase your freedom by reducing your material needs and attachments to "things".
- Share: information and resources.
- Prioritize what is important. Re-think the "shoulds".  Fight the "Mother Culture".
- Quality over quantity.
- Be Happy with what you do have.
- Cherish personal values/joy check every day.
- Stop living prescribed roles.

How can we inspire others?
- Share experiences with your work staff and neighbors.
- Take time to celebrate. Start a culture of celebration. Include everyone.
- Live by example.Action teaches best!  Be Happy!
- Share resources: sharing event, newsletter, resource center, freecycle.
- Challenge ostentatious behavior and actions.
- Use positive language and ideas to inspire, not drive fear.
- Value small changes/ successes.
- Broadcast ideas: social media, websites, news.
- Create and promote a vision of "living creatively" and with quality.
- Make it "chic".

What next?
- Involve others: a community contest for "re purposing" things into art.
- Organize community /neighborhood events where the focus is the experience, not consumerism.
- Facilitate people sharing experiences.

Initiator Frank Banisch

Participants: Kristin Muller and Rebecca Perkins.  

This session initiated a discussion about the potential for collaboration between for profit and non-profit entities. 

Among the opportunities discussed:

• develop strategies to allow cross pollination among business and the creative community
• initiate a continuing conversation aimed at developing ways to foster collaboration
• explore the depressed real estate market as an opportunity for partnering between for- and non-profits

This topic was added late to the agenda and participants felt the topic warrants a continuing discussion.