WE Convene – Performing Arts

WE Convene: Performing Arts: How to support and grow the performing arts

Co- Hosted with The Florida Orchestra

Featuring Keynote Speaker : Mark Cantrell, President + CEO of The Florida Orchestra

Thursday, March 24, 2022 | 8am -10am

Location: Creative Pinellas , 12211 Walsingham Rd Largo, Florida

Some of the topics you can explore with us:

• How do we get from a “Me” focus to a “We” focus?
• How to create destination entertainment that brings people for an event?
• How to bring performance to the people – “meet them where they are”?

• It is time to tell the community why we are important and how we impact their lives!
• How do we express the value we bring to the community?
• By working together, can we advocate for the performing arts throughout the county?

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Mark Cantrell

Mark Cantrell joined the Florida Orchestra in 2019 as the President and CEO. Prior to moving to Florida, he was the Executive Director for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mark grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and attended Boston University where he received his B.A. in Music. Upon graduation, he began playing with the Boston Pops, Boston Symphony, Boston Ballet Orchestra, and Boston Lyric Opera.

In 1993, after he and his wife Carolyn-also a professional musician-returned from touring Europe with West Side Story, he founded JMC Cabinet Makers, a small furniture studio focusing on custom designed and built furniture and the teaching of hand tool skills. Mark has been on faculty at Boston University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and MIT as an adjunct professor.

In 2004, Mark semi-retired from the music world and became a captain with a United Express carrier. Mark currently serves on the Advisory Boards for the Bolz Center for Arts Administration and the UW Health Performing Arts Medicine Program.

Mark is an avid outdoorsman. He has raced in several long-distance sled dog races and love’s to spend as much time outdoors as possible. fishing, hunting, canoeing, camping and hiking are some of his favorite activities. Mark loves to cook and enjoys great wines. Mark is also an avid reader.

We Convene : Together For The Future of the Arts

Creative Pinellas is partnering with the Pinellas Community Foundation to hold a series of six public meetings on key topics of importance to the arts community. Starting in February and continuing through the summer, the series will end with a community town hall in September to collectively share what has been discovered and to set the stage for next steps.

• February 24: Public art and Placemaking
• March 24: Performing arts
• April 28: Accessibility and equity
• May 12: Arts and tourism
• June 23: Economic needs/wellbeing and sustainability for artists
• July 21: Arts and Education/Community outreach Connecting with and supporting youth

Each meeting will be from 8am -10am and will start with arrival/ networking for the first 30 minutes, followed by the introduction to some Pinellas County success stories that are working in the landscape of the specific meeting topic.

A keynote speaker will kick off the working session with an inspirational/aspirational presentation, followed by breakout discussions to understand key issues or needs, raise ideas and solutions to address those needs. The meeting will close with a call for participants interested in working on the topic to bring their findings together to be featured in a Town Art style meeting in September.