Former Mayor Barnes to lead Downtown Council strategic review session
Written by Ann Wednesday, 10 August 2011 09:57 No Comments
Downtown Council members are invited to participate in a Strategy Review Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23. You are encouraged to RSVP today because seating is limited to about 100 participants.
We’ve planned an interactive discussion of our strategies, priorities and opportunities led by Kay Barnes, Distinguished Professor for Public Leadership Park University and former Mayor of Kansas City,’ said Bill Dietrich, president and CEO of the Downtown Council. “The results of our recent member survey will be our jumping off point as we focus our priorities and begin preparation of a multi-year work plan.
Who Should Attend?
DTC Members, Downtown Stakeholders and Partners When?
Tuesday, Aug. 23, 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.Preview Where?
Kansas City Public Library, Central Library
Helzberg Auditorium
14 West 10th Street, Kansas City MO 64105 What?
Breakfast and Strategic Planning
Reserve your spot by Thursday, Aug. 18, or contact Ann Holliday, ann@downtownkc.org with questions.
(Parking is available in the Library garage located on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue.)
Artists, Creators and Collaborators in Kansas City
Written by Ann Thursday, 12 May 2011 15:25 No Comments
I just returned from an inspiring panel discussion at the Leedy Voulkos Gallery – part of the America: Now and Here dialogue. Harlan Brownlee (Arts Council of KC) moderated a panel discussion about the future of the arts in Kansas City. Jonathan Knecht (KCADC) layed out the theme by presenting a new national branding concept “Kansas City, America’s Creative Crossroads”. The KCADC will use this platform to promote Kansas City as authentic, innovative and inviting when it works to attract corporations and talent to relocate to our region.
The concept was well received by attendees. The panelists offered their thoughts. Kathleen Collins (KC Art Institute) emphasized that artists need to benefit from the “Creative Crossroads” concept…this should not be a program built on the back of artists but one that leverages support for the arts and its ability to be an economic engine.
Greg Carroll (American Jazz Museum) appreciated that potential regional unification impact of the “Creative Crossroads”. When asked about his vision for the Kansas City arts community for the next 5-10 years, Greg described a diverse arts community accessible to everyone helping to unify the community. Cynthia Rider (KC Repertory Theater) saw a future of excellence in the arts focused in Downtown Kansas City.
Peter Witte (UMKC Conservatory) spoke about the power of the arts to create jobs and build relationships between diverse groups. He emphasized that the world is no longer our audience, it is our community and it is a community of artists, creators and collaborators.
The panelists felt strongly that the platform: Kansas City America’s Creative Crossroads is also a marketing message that could be used internally, to the 2,000,000 residents of the metropolitan area who can support the arts and creativity in their daily life. The meeting ended with a spontaneous call and response jazz dialogue between Greg Carroll and the audience! Leaving me inspired and energized.
Have You Seen How We’re Celebrating Downtown Kansas City? Check It Out!
Written by Mike Saturday, 30 April 2011 09:12 No Comments
Urban chic. Creative cool. Mojo. It’s clear that Downtown Kansas City has its swagger back.
In 10 short years, Downtown has blossomed into the region’s most desirable place to live, work, dine, shop, revel in the arts and grow creative, entrepreneurial enterprises. Thousands of people are flocking to Downtown on any given day to taste a sample of what Kansas City had been lacking for a generation.
And, yet, we are reminded time and again that there are those in our Greater Kansas City community who remain unaware of the extent of Downtown’s revitalization. For many of the 2 million consumers who live, work and study in our outstanding suburbs, Downtown may be more urban myth than urban playground.
To bridge that gap, the Downtown Council has taken the lead role in marketing the Downtown experience to consumers right in our own backyard. Bottom line – we simply need more Kansas City area residents routinely shopping, dining, playing and enjoying the riches of our Downtown. It’s essential to Downtown becoming economically sustainable.
Our most recent outreach began in March with the introduction of our first two Downtown TV commercials airing on nine Time Warner Cable channels, reaching more than 400,000 homes in Greater Kansas City. The summer-long campaign is expected to generate more than 4.5 million consumer impressions, as well as guide them to learn more at www.GoDowntownKC.com and to follow us on Facebook.
To view the commercials – “Shopping and All That Jazz” and “Girls Night Out” – click here or just watch them below!
Time Warner subscribers are able to see the Downtown commercials airing in 83 different time slots each week, in addition to 70 Downtown messages that crawl on the Weather Channel. They are creating more than 400,000 impressions per week, or about $4.5 million over 11 weeks.
The commercials most often air in prime time and daytime slots on A&E, Comedy Central (Colbert Report; Daily Show), Discovery Channel (Sons of Guns, Myth Busters and many more), E! (Chelsea Lately, Sex & the City, Kourtney & Kim, etc.), Food Network (Rachael Ray, Glada, etc.), HGTV (Yard Crashers, Color Splash and more), OWN (Oprah, Dr. Phil), TBS (Conan O’Brien) and The Learning Channel (DC Cupcakes, Yes to Dress). Several different Downtown messages also appear on the Weather Channel crawl.
The early buzz generated by the commercials is very encouraging! What do you think? Visit our Facebook page today and let us know!
Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved, Downtown Council of Kansas City 911 Main St., Suite 110, Kansas City, MO 64105 Phone: 816.421.1539 Fax: 816.421.1661
