Create Gwinnett Wants Your Input if You Live, Work or Play in Gwinnett

Artworks Gwinnett is launching a yearlong process for Create Gwinnett, its first-ever Arts and Creative Economy Master Plan, and wants to hear from residents across Gwinnett County. Create Gwinnett focuses on how arts and culture help foster economic prosperity in the county. It’s the result of a goal identified in Gwinnett County’s 2040 Unified Plan: to enhance Gwinnett’s profile as a cultural destination where the arts educate, elevate and inspire.

“Gwinnett is the most diverse county in the state, and we need to hear from all age groups to know where future funding should be concentrated,” says Jonathan Holmes, chair of Artworks Gwinnett. “What grade would you give your community for its arts vibrancy? How can we get it to an A grade? Tell us what you like, what you need, what you imagine.”

Let your voice be heard. If you live, work or play/experience in Gwinnett County, you can provide input now. Participation is encouraged to understand where and how Gwinnett residents are experiencing arts and culture today and what it can be in the future. Three ways to participate include:

Take the survey: The survey is available in English, Spanish and Korean here.

Attend an upcoming event: Create Gwinnett’s upcoming countywide meetings are on the following dates and cities:

• Monday, Aug. 22 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Dacula — Dacula Park Activity Building, 2735 Auburn Ave, Dacula 30019. Register for Dacula here.
• Tuesday, Aug. 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Snellville — Centerville Senior Center, 3025 Bethany Church Rd., Snellville, 30039. Register for Snellville here.
• Wednesday, Aug. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Buford — Bogan Park, 2723 N. Bogan Rd. NE, Buford, 30519. Register for Buford here.

Volunteer: Residents can volunteer to make sure their community’s voice is heard by downloading a Create Gwinnett do-it-yourself community conversation toolkit. Whether it’s with a circle of friends (neighborhood, book club, PTA meeting or a planned Zoom call with your favorite group), Gwinnett residents can take the initiative to host a conversation and upload the responses they hear from the group.

“Whether you attend events at the many cultural facilities in our county or in your neighborhood, whether you like making art or just experiencing it, you are a vital part of Gwinnett’s cultural ecosystem,” added Joy Bailey-Bryant, president of Lord Cultural Resources, the global consulting firm heading the team to facilitate the plan. “Visit artworksgwinnett.org to sign up for updates, get the latest information about the plan and share feedback throughout the year.”

Create Gwinnett focuses on equitable talent development, job expansion in the arts sector and policies for support of vibrant communities. The plan will chart Gwinnett’s pathway for regional and national creative leadership.

About Artworks Gwinnett

Artworks Gwinnett is a nonprofit organization that originated from an investment from Partnership Gwinnett. Leaders in Gwinnett County have long recognized the need for this community to prioritize, elevate, and support the arts and creative economy. Artworks is the HOW. Artworks solely committed to strengthening the cultural quality of life for the citizens of Gwinnett County by creating a vision identifying resources and advocating for a cultural economy. The Creative Economy Master Plan will give Gwinnett County the road map for how we can effectively and efficiently add value to our community through elevating the Arts and Creative Economy. Visit ArtworksGwinnett.org for more information.

About Lord Cultural Resources

Lord Cultural Resources is the global practice leader in cultural sector planning. Since 1981, Lord has helped to create, plan, and operate cultural spaces and places in more than 460 cities, in 57 countries and six continents. Lord employs a human-centric approach to all projects to ensure that visitor and user needs, and expectations are first and foremost in an ever-evolving and competitive market. Lord’s team of planners, market and financial specialists, and experience creators, apply their expertise to a wide spectrum of cultural projects, offering a broad range of integrated services. Visit Lord.ca for more information.