Re-Energizing Creatives: Insights from the Artists Thrive Summit

Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised that I was in a bit of a rut at the end of the academic year when I’m always mentally, emotionally, and physically tired, but I hadn’t quite realized that I was falling dangerously close to cynicism until I went to the Artists Thrive Summit last week in Kansas City. This year’s Artists Thrive Annual Summit left me re-centered, re-energized, and more committed than ever to focusing on what’s possible — not just what’s missing.

Beth Yerxa, Executive Director of the fantastic organization Triangle Art Works, had invited me to present with her. I spoke to a group of artists, administrators, and staffers of artist service organizations about strategic patience: encouraging artists and arts organizations not to get stuck focusing on what they don’t have, but to build momentum by making the most of what they do have. I argued that when we show potential supporters what we can already do with limited resources — and stay clear on our strengths — we’re better positioned to act when the right opportunity comes along. (“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready” became a bit of a theme.) And it was affirming to see that same spirit echoed across the summit.

One standout moment came from Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar’s talk on design thinking. She challenged us to expand our view of “capacity” — to stop measuring it only in terms of time, money, or staff, and start seeing value in stories, networks, and long-term impact. That reframing helped me catch some of my own limited thinking and reminded me to take my own advice.

I was also inspired by the number of people working in higher education in career services who specifically are hired to support arts students in building sustainable careers at the conference! It was heartening to see universities dedicating staff to career development for creative fields — and even more encouraging to see how eager they were to learn from artists about the reality of making a living in this work. Shout out to the Kansas City Art Institute and Kansas University for supporting their students with such amazing staff.

And finally, GK Callahan’s presentation about his “Community Arts Project Safety Manual” stood out for its clarity and creativity. He took the often-messy world of community-based arts projects and distilled years of learning — both successes and mistakes — into a playful and effective format: a “Safety Manual” styled like an airline safety card. With principles for navigating the chaos, a checklist for stakeholder alignment, and even an “Oxygen Mask” section for dealing with turbulence, his talk was a gift to anyone trying to bring people together through art.

The Artists Thrive Summit consistently brings together people who believe in the power of the arts to strengthen communities — and more importantly, who are living out that belief in different, tangible ways. I left feeling not just inspired but more deeply connected to a field-wide movement grounded in clarity, care, and commitment.

Special thanks to the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation for their generous support of the Summit. Their commitment to equity was clear — from paying presenters to significantly offsetting conference costs and providing meals and transportation — making it possible for a broader, more diverse group of artists and arts workers to participate fully.