A Win-Win-Win: Collaborating Across Jurisdictional Boundaries Branding A Distinct Region

2015 NADO Annual Training Conference October 26, 2015

Jim Baldwin, Executive Director Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission

Economic Trends in Southwest Virginia

U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis

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1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

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Southwest Virginia Full-time and Part-time Jobs in Mining, Manufacturing, Farm Employment, and Services 1970-2010

Mining

Manufacturing

Farm Employment

What is a Creative Economy?

Deriving economic benefit, primarily entrepreneurial, from a region’s cultural, natural and human assets; either directly through tourism or revenues derived from music, craft, culture or food; or by developing and marketing a quality of life that attracts people and businesses seeking a desirable place to live and work.

Part of an overall economic development strategy including manufacturing, mining, and agriculture.

Developing a Creative Economy

Placing the focus on:

• High quality of life

• Sense of place

• Natural assets and experiences

• Community revitalization

• Entrepreneurship development

• Access to high-speed telecommunications

Creating and branding a distinct region

• Brand & promote Southwest Virginia as a unified world class destination

• Coordinate & develop a comprehensive cultural assets inventory and capital improvements plan for the entire region

• Facilitate the formation of collaborative partnerships among governmental nonprofit and entrepreneurs to create economic opportunities

• Transform downtowns into cultural centers

• Improve access to outdoor experiences

• Heartwood: the gateway to the region

• Southwest Virginia website: the virtual presence to the world at www.myswva.org

Economic Development

1. Attract & develop high-tech businesses & high-end entrepreneurs through our unique quality of life

2. Promote Southwest Virginia as a

superior place to live for: • Relocatees • Retirees • College educated returnees

3. Attract visitors/tourists through our

vibrant cultural heritage, unique stories, and natural assets

Our Objectives

Nine Major Venues

• Birthplace of Country Music Blue Ridge Institute & Museum Blue Ridge Music Center Carter Family Fold Country Cabin Floyd Country Store and County Sales Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway Ralph Stanley Museum Rex Theater & Galax Old Fiddlers Convention

60 Affiliated Venues & Festivals

Jams Festivals Concerts Museums Live Radio

Outdoor Drama

The event includes: •Crooked Road concerts in over 30 communities •Dozens of cultural experiences throughout the region •Over 70 existing traditional music related concerts, jam sessions, and festivals

The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming is an annual nine-day, region-wide celebration of the communities in Southwest Virginia – their traditional music, and all their many cultural and natural assets.

The First Decade

• Media Coverage • New York Times • Washington Post

Created in 2004, along with The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, to promote

economic development of Southwest Virginia by focusing on the craft and culture of the region.

Membership We have over 550 members!

• Artisans – People who make handmade objects without the use

of kits, commercial molds and whose primary components are not manufactured.

• Craft Related Businesses – Venues and organizations who focus on selling, exhibiting or promoting locally made crafts.

• Agritourism Businesses – Agricultural-based businesses that produce food, fiber, unique crops or livestock, value added food products, or offer recreational, educational, or other farm based activities.

• Heartwood serves as a focal point and portal to all heritage tourism efforts in SWVA.

• The Crooked Road music store, artisan displays, regional food restaurant, coffee & wine bistro, trip planning services. • Connects visitors to regional artisan studios, music venues, craft trails, outdoor recreation and more throughout the region.

Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway

Appalachian Spring

Appalachian Spring Objectives

• Aggregate recreational natural resource assets to brand region as destination and cross promotion.

• Capital improvements plan

Appalachian Spring Objectives

• Downtown Revitalization – Community as Base Camp Gateways etc.

• Provide entrepreneurs and projects with financing assistance

Appalachian Spring Objectives

• Renovate downtown theaters & create network for TA and combined booking

• Develop Database – New Business

– Job Creation

– Tax Revenues

• Over 900 in attendance

• 68 vendors participated

• 26 clinics the day of the Expo

• 14 outdoor excursions on Sunday

Transforming our downtowns into centers of commerce, culture, and activity.

Partners • Music

– Blue Ridge Music Center, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, The Carter Family Fold, Country Cabin, Ralph Stanley Museum, Floyd Country Store, County Records, Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention, Blue Ridge Institute; Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway

• Arts/Cultural – National Council for Traditional Arts, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities

• Tourism – Virginia Tourism Corporation, Blue Ridge Travel Association, Heart of Appalachia Tourism

Authority • Government

Counties: Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe

Cities: Bristol, Galax, and Norton Local Development Districts: LENOWISCO, Cumberland Plateau, Mount Rogers, New River

Valley, West Piedmont State and Federal Agencies: Department of Housing and Community Development,

Appalachian Regional Commission, United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development, Coalfield Economic Development Authority, Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, and Virginia Department of Transportation

Large & Diverse Group of Partners

State and Federal Entities and Departments: • Appalachian Regional Commission • U.S. Economic Development

Administration • U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural

Development • Planning District Commissions

(PDCs) • Virginia Department of Housing and

Community Development (DHCD) • Virginia Tourism Corporation • Virginia Department of Game and

Inland Fisheries • Virginia Department of Conservation

and Recreation (DCR) • Virginia Department of Forestry • United States Forest Service • National Park Service • Virginia State Parks

Financing/Development Groups: • Virginia Community Capital (VCC) • People Inc.

Other Partner Organizations • The Nature Conservancy • Appalachian Trail Conservancy • National Committee for the New River • Upper Tennessee River Roundtable • Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation • Southwest Regional Recreation

Authority • Barter Theatre • Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail • Clinch River Valley Initiative

Lenowisco PDC

www.myswva.org