Compiled from the 90 minute workshop, this strategic action plan identified 3 opportunities to focus the strategy for moving Mahoning Valley forward. On August 13, 2018, a representative group of arts, government, business, and civic leaders will come together with national advocates to develop strategies for amplifying revitalization efforts and mobilizing the Mahoning Valley’s cultural assets. A lunch conversation led by David Brooks, as part of the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project, began the session. A Strategic Doing workshop led by Ed Morrison and the Purdue Agile Strategy Lab examined how collaboration can support economic development in the Valley.

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VALLEY ARTS AND
CULTURE INITIATIVE
Strategic Action Plans v. 0.1

2. On August 13, 2018, A representative group of arts, government, business, and civic leaders
across the Mahoning Valley came together with national advocates to develop strategies for
amplifying revitalization efforts and mobilizing the Mahoning Valley’s cultural assets.
David Brooks led a lunchtime conversation as part of the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social
Fabric Project. A Strategic Doing workshop led by Ed Morrison and the Purdue Agile
Strategy Lab then explored how collaboration can support economic development.
Participants convened in three tables to develop strategies for putting arts and cultural
organizations in the center of the Valley’s future economy.
This strategic action plan summarizes the work at each table. Because the workshop was
shorter than a normal 2-3 hours, we faced some significant time constraints. But yeah table
began developing powers ideas to move arts and culture into the center of the Valley’s
future.
The participants are invited to convene on August 27 at 11:30-1:00 at Ohio Living Park Vista
to design the next steps in this process. Scott Hutcheson of the Purdue Agile Strategy Lab
will guide the conversation.
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Overview
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Strategic Action Plan Table 1: Ed Morrison, Table Guide 3
Strategic Action Plan Table 2: Hunter Morrison, Table Guide 7
Strategic Action Plan Table 3: Brian Kolenich, Table Guide 11
Appendix: Assets of the Participants 15

3. First Name Last Name Affiliation
Doug Franklin Mayor of Warren
Bill Mullane Educator
Mike McGriffin Stambaugh Auditorium
Dee Crawford WKBN
James Dignan Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber
Lisa Ramsey Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership
Virginia Mason Community
Dana Morgan Artist
David Brooks New York Times
Ed Morrison Purdue Agile Strategy Lab
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Table 1:
Ed Morrison, Guide
TABLE 1

4.
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Opportunity 1: Create the Mahoning Valley Creative Forum/Network
Currently, arts and cultural organizations throughout the Valley are disconnected from one
another. We have an enormous opportunity to link, leveraging a line the activities of each
of these groups in a more coherent way. On a practical level, we could coordinate events
better with a stronger network. We could also strengthen the Valley brand by aligning our
narratives about the multiple dimensions of arts in the Valley.
Opportunity 2: Expand and Brand the Mahoning Valley Maker Culture
The Valley has a strong maker culture, yet our arts and cultural organizations are not
aligned in a way that can reinforce the deep maker culture in the Valley. We have the
opportunity to connect arts and culture to the center of our entrepreneurial ecosystem. We
can engage multiple generations across the Valley by using arts and culture as an entry
door to entrepreneurship opportunities.
Opportunity 3: Leverage Stambaugh as an Core Asset to Assist Arts Venues in the Valley
Stambaugh could be the anchor for a network of performance venues in the Valley. Working
together, these venues could strengthen each other.
With out going through a voting process, the team agreed that Opportunity 1 provides a
threshold opportunity. The other two opportunities could flow from the stronger network
outlined in Opportunity 1.
OUR OPPORTUNITIES
THE BIG EASY
TABLE 1

5. Our table quickly focused on what an outcome of a strong arts and culture network in the
Valley. We posed the question: “If David Brooks came back into the Valley in 2-3 years and
we were wildly successful, what would we show him?” What would we see, feel and do that
would be different?
Develop a prospectus for the Mahoning Valley Arts and Culture Network (the “Creative
Valley”?). Our Pathfinder is defined by the following Guideposts.
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TABLE 1
OUR OUTCOME
CHARACTERISTICS POTENTIALMETRICS
Active social media presence Number of posts and members
Visual arts and a strong narrative of arts in the Valley Increased displays, stronger narrative “feel”
A strong intergenerational engagement
Number of groups, meetings with youth and
adults engaged
Increased investment in arts and culture organizations Increased investments
OUR PATHFINDER PROJECT
GUIDEPOST BYWHEN
Initial draft of what a Valley Network would look like September 15
Groups convene for half day strategy session October 15
Completed prospectus and business model December 1

6. We are committed to the August 27 meeting at Ohio Living from 11:30-1:00.
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OUR 30 DAY ACTION PLAN
WHO WHATWILLBE DONE DEVIVERABLE BYWHEN
Ed
Complete the strategic
action plan
Completed plan August 24
All
Attending the Aug 27
meeting
Lists of other people
who could be a part of
the Netowork
August 27
OUR 30/30 COMMITMENT
TABLE 1

7.
First Name Last Name Affiliation
Yo-Yo Ma Cellist
Bill Blair Arts Lobbyist
April Lawson Apen Institute/Weave
Becky Keck Smarts President
Rebecca Davis Butler Institute
Lewis W. Maklin Faith Community
Larry Molinterno Meridian Health Care
Lyn Bilal City Club of the Mahoning Valley
Hunter Morrison Cleveland State University
Dawn Turnage City of Youngstown: Parks & Recreation
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Table 2:
Hunter Morrison, Guide

8. Opportunity 2: Spirit of the Valley
Create a community kitchen or multiple community kitchens. Focus on creating the
communal experience that is a part of the Valley culture.
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Connect land banks, community gardens, churches and parks facilities to address food
deserts. Cooking classes, incubator kitchen, somewhere people grow, cook, serve…
education about growing food, after school program including food preparation,
opportunities to bring families together.
Opportunity 1: Eat to be Smart
Opportunity 2: “Spirit of the Valley” or “Feed the Spirit of the Valley” Create a community
kitchen table. Family style dining. Experience the culture of communal food. Pop-up
community kitchens. Connecting to students.
Opportunity 3: Love at First Bite.— Heartland Hearth, 826 Writers, Teach a Girl to Fish
OUR OPPORTUNITIES
OUR BIG EASY
TABLE 2

9.
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OUR OUTCOME
CHARACTERISTICS POTENTIALMETRICS
Community kitchen(s) Number community kitchens. A network?
Communal food experiences People engaged
Student engagement Number of students engaged
OUR PATHFINDER PROJECT
GUIDEPOST BYWHEN
Initial draft of what a “Spirit of the Valley” initiative
would look like
September 15
Groups convene for half day strategy session October 15
Completed prospectus and business model December 1
TABLE 2

10. We are committed to the August 27 meeting at Ohio Living from 11:30-1:00
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WHO WHATWILLBE DONE DEVIVERABLE BYWHEN
Hunter
Complete the strategic
action plan
Completed plan August 24
All
Attending the Aug 27
meeting
Lists of other people
who could be a part of
the Netowork
August 27
OUR ACTION PLAN
TABLE 2
OUR 30/30 COMMITMENT

11. First Name Last Name Affiliation
Brian Kolenich Ohio Living Park Vista
Mike Hripko Youngstown State University
Deborah Rutter Kennedy Center
Tommy Loper Aspen Institute/WEAVE
Teresa Dellick Juvenile Court Mahoning County
Carla Baldwin Youngstown Immiscible Court
Nora Halpern Americans for the Arts
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Table 3:
Brian Kolenich, Guide
TABLE 3

12. Opportunity 1: Youngstown Eats
• Focus on self-reliant food; Grow it know it; End Hunger; Simple Gardening
Opportunity 2: YSU Scape: “Paint Your Neighborhood”
• Neighborhood Pride
• City of Youngstown
• Valley “Young Blocks & Valleys”
Opportunity 3: Balance Art Infrastructure
• Increase Efficiency & Effectiveness for greater impact
Opportunity 4
• Yo Dance
Opportunity 2 Paint Your Neighborhood came out as our Big Easy.
Opportunity Impact Ease Total
1: Eats 35 20 55
2: Paint Neighborhood 31 27 58
3: Balance Art Infrastructure 28 11 39
4: Yo Dance 23 23 46
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OUR OPPORTUNITIES
OUR BIG EASY
TABLE 3

13. Convening a community forum with decision makers such as YSU Scape, City Scape, YNDC,
Jon Howell, Crandall Park
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OUR OUTCOME
OUR PATHFINDER PROJECT
CHARACTERISTICS POTENTIALMETRICS
Visual Image, Neighborhood stabilization by painting
houses and removing graffiti
Number houses painted
Common identity Detroit Full impact of doing an
entire neighborhood or block
Number of blocks painted
ROI by neighborhood stabilization Block watches in place
GUIDEPOST BYWHEN
Key influencers are brought into the loop September 27
Develop neighborhood work plan October 27
Community Forum is held and completed November 27
TABLE 3

14. We are committed to the August 27 meeting at Ohio Living from 11:30-1:00
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OUR ACTION PLAN
WHO WHATWILLBE DONE DEVIVERABLE BYWHEN
Brian
Complete the strategic
action plan
Completed plan August 24
All
Attending the Aug 27
meeting
Lists of other people
who could be a part of
the Netowork
August 27
TABLE 3
OUR 30/30 COMMITMENT

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FIRST
NAME
LAST
NAME
AFFILIATE ASSETS
Yo-Yo Ma Cellist Insights from other communities
Bill Blair Arts Lobbyist Statewide network of arts supporters
April Lawson Apen Institute/Weave Writing and telling the story
Becky Keck Smarts President Facilitation of events; Arts organizationss
Rebecca Davis Butler Institute Convenor of arts associations; Arts education
Lewis W. Maklin Faith Community Engagement with a diverse faith community
Larry Molinterno Meridian Health Care
Behavioural health community; TC county land
bank
Lyn Bilal
City Club of the
Mahoning Valley
Forum for civic engagement
Hunter Morrison
Cleveland State
University
Access to students, training programs
Dawn Turnage
City of Youngstown:
Parks & Recreation
Meeting facilities inm city parks and recreation
centers
Doug Franklin Mayor of Warren 15 staff and employees; media platform
Bill Mullane Educator
arts advocate in the Valley; extensive K-12
networks
Mike McGriffin
Stambaugh
Auditorium
programmable 2500 seat facility
Dee Crawford WKBN
weekly TV show; convening power; United
Way; Y SU
James Dignan
Youngstown/Warren
Regional Chamber
Chamber of Commerce with 2600 members
Lisa Ramsey
Trumbull
Neighborhood
Partnership
extensive experience and networks in
community development
Virginia Mason Community Experience with arts education and children
Dana Morgan Artist Strong connections to the Valley artsnetworks
David Brooks New York Times media platform
Ed Morrison
Purdue Agile Strategy
Lab
expertise and training skills of collaboration
OUR ASSETS