Monday, Knight Foundation hosted a luncheon to formally introduce the Knight Arts program to the Macon community. We used the mailing list from the Macon Arts Alliance (they were a great partner in this effort). I was expecting about 70-80 people. We had to stop accepting reservations at 130 folks…I had no idea of the pent up demand for this type of gathering. The arts are alive and well in Macon/Bibb County and this was a wonderful way to get people together. The best part for me was that there were folks there I did not know. But I soon will!

You could feel the positive energy in the air . Dennis Scholl’s talk on audience engagement, a foundation priority, was not only a challenge to think differently, but an affirmation that the arts are critical to the economic and social vitality of a community.  The message, covered by the local media, was very well received and caused a lot of our guests to reflect – about how they can connect in new ways with their audiences, and how they must use digital tools to reach their current and potential patrons. And it let them know that Knight Foundation values their individual and collective leadership here.

At the luncheon, we also announced that Macon resident Yolanda Latimore, who has helped develop community programs that strengthen the performing arts, has been named to Knight Foundation’s national Arts Advisory Committee.

We are lucky here in Macon to have a great creative community. Knight Foundation’s arts grantmaking will support those artists and organizations who dare to reach for new ways of connecting…all to build an engaged community. I can’t wait.