Washtenaw County Cultural Master Plan (PDF)
Washtenaw County Cultural Master Plan; Highlights Brochure (PDF)
The following describes the supporting documentation for the Washtenaw County
Cultural Master Plan.
Community & Culture: Online Survey Report (Available by request)
The Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment Online Survey was designed to help shape the region’s cultural plan.
More than 1,535 Washtenaw County citizens responded to this online survey, which launched on November 1, 2007
and closed on January 15, 2008. This report includes all respondents’ answers to the survey along with a summary
and analysis.
Community & Culture: Online Survey, Executive Summary (PDF)
This report summarizes the findings of the Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment Online Survey Report. (See above)
Community & Culture: Community Forums Report (Available by request)
The Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment Community Forums used small group meetings, or “community forums,”
to gather in-depth resident input for the cultural plan project. Over 260 community representatives participated in 29
forums held between October 2007 and February 2008 in Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea, Manchester, Milan, Saline, and
Ypsilanti. Attendees included government, civic, and business leaders, educators, funders, students, artists, and
leaders of cultural and heritage organizations. The forums also included two county-wide interest groups of educators
and historic preservation advocates. The report is a synthesis of the opinions expressed by participants in the
community forums and one-on-one interviews.
Community & Culture: Community Forums, Executive Summary (PDF)
This report summarizes the findings of the Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment
Community Forums Report. (See above)
Community & Culture: Cultural Assessment Highlights (PDF)
The Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment Highlights report summarizes and synthesizes the findings of: the
Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment Online Survey Report and the Washtenaw County Cultural Assessment
Community Forums Report. This document outlines the key challenges facing the County and provides the framework
used by Cultural Plan Steering Committee to establish its strategic goals.
Community & Culture: Facilities Report (PDF)
(Coming Soon)
Jessica Bond, Brian Carbine, Michael Cichon, Charlie Jabor, Kristin Moser, Amber Rostokowski, and Adam
Rzepka Seven arts administration students from Eastern Michigan University inventoried performance facilities
in the county’s seven population centers (Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline, and Ypsilanti) as
cultural assessments interns. The inventory was conducted from September December 2007. WaLouisa Hubbard
assembled and completed the information collected by students.
Community & Culture: Roster of Nonprofit Cultural Organizations
(Coming Soon)
Seven arts administration students from Eastern Michigan University inventoried cultural
organizations in the county’s seven population centers (Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter,
Manchester, Milan, Saline, and Ypsilanti) as cultural assessments interns.
Creative Economy Report, Ann Arbor SPARK (PDF)
The Creative Economic Analysis report provides the first-ever analysis of Washtenaw County’s creative economy.
The study utilizes established methodology followed by economic developers and researchers recognizing, however,
that consistent methodologies have not been developed to analyze the creative economy, so this study followed the
methodology applied to traditional industry sectors.
Community & Culture: Task Force Notes (Available by request)
The five task forces that were established as a result of the findings of the online survey,
community forums and cultural assessment highlights met in April and May 2008. Each
task force met at least three times to provide recommendations for the strategic areas of:
- Lifelong Arts & Education
This task force produced recommendations to insure that students and adults throughout
Washtenaw County have equitable access to quality lifelong arts instruction and cultural
enrichment programs.
- Creative Economic Development
This task force produced recommendations to stimulate creative economic development
to increase the prosperity of Washtenaw County communities and to enhance the economic viability of the
County’s individual artists.
- Capacity Building, Funding and Investment; Cultural Facilities
This task force produced recommendations to strengthen the capacity of nonprofit
cultural organizations through increased and sustainable funding, improved governance,
and better use of cultural facilities.
- Communications, Audience Development, and Advocacy
This task force produced recommendations to increase the visibility and public awareness of the cultural sector,
enhance marketing to residents and cultural tourists, and increase participation.
- Diversity and Access
This task force produced recommendations to reduce barriers to cultural participation
and further diversify nonprofit cultural organizations’ management, governance,
programs, and audiences.
The Economic Impact of Arts and Culture in Washtenaw County, The Arts Alliance (PDF)
This report describes the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and cultural community in Washtenaw County.
The study examines the activities and expenditures of not-for-profit cultural organizations as well as the attendance
and spending patterns of arts patrons who attend its performances and exhibitions. The result provides a detailed
picture of the economic impact of arts-related activities in Washtenaw County. The research model used for this
study parallels that used by the Americans for the Arts. Organizational information was gathered in two ways: via
an online survey and through an examination of the IRS Form 990, which is filed annually by non-profit organizations
with annual revenues in excess of $25,000.
The Economic Impact of Arts and Culture in Washtenaw County, The Arts Alliance
(PDF Highlights Brochure)
This brochure describes and highlights the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and
cultural community in Washtenaw County.
Arts Space Needs, The Arts Alliance (PDF)
This white paper reports the results of a survey conducted by the Arts Alliance in 2005 to assess the space needs of
area nonprofit cultural organizations and artists. The findings show a need for approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of affordable
arts space – a size roughly equivalent to that of a small supermarket.
Consumer Travel and Visitor Assessment Study, prepared for the Ann Arbor Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau by Equat!on research, Feb. 28, 2008 (PDF)
This research study was conducted to clarify the Ann Arbor visitor profile and preferences, evaluate attitudes and
awareness among prospective audiences, and assess destination strength and weaknesses.
The Creative Industries of Washtenaw County, Michigan (2006), Americans for
the Arts (PDF)
A research report using Dun & Bradstreet data to describe the scope and economic importance of arts-centric
businesses in Washtenaw County.