Morning Edition; Connect 2 Culture

It's morning edition on KRPS. 2020 was an unforgettable year. Most of us are glad that 2021 has arrived. And joining us this morning is the Director of Connected Culture in Joplin, Emily Fronkowski, to talk about what's in store for the arts and entertainment nonprofit in the coming year. Good morning, Emily, and thanks for joining us. Hey, thanks for having us. All right, so what are you and connect to culture looking forward to in 2021? I think you have some big plans to talk about. Yeah, so it's so funny that you asked what we're looking forward to because we've been spending kind of the last two weeks really doing a deep dive into all of the things that happened in 2020. We always do this annual retrospective called Looking Back where we kind of just go through all of the most memorable arts and cultural moments. And we were kind of anticipating 2020 being the unprecedented year than it was that there wouldn't be a lot to look back on. But I encourage everyone to do so because there's so much positivity that happened during this

difficult time. So many different, you know, colorful public arts that has been created awards, different creative programs, you know, everyone has had to be so flexible. So I really encourage people to do that. Obviously, we're looking forward always. You know, we're looking for new ways to fulfill our mission as connect to culture. Being droplands community arts agency and as well as bringing performances of the performing arts presenter. And, you know, the big building project that we're spearheading with Spiva Center for the Arts, the Harry M. Cornell Arts and Entertainment Complex. That big project is really taking off. And we're hoping that we have a groundbreaking actually in early 2021. A groundbreaking for what? For the Harry M. Cornell Arts and Entertainment Complex. Early 2021. So is that going to happen in January, February, March?

I think one of those months is definitely going to happen. I always am just like, let's just say early. So if we don't have it in, we're all hoping for January, but it could be late January, early February. Right now, the entire project, you know, in 2020, a lot of work has been happening behind the scenes, not very glamorous, lots of Zoom meetings. But things have really been finalized. And the project has been taken out to bid. And we're going to receive that information shortly. And kind of take a look at the scope and make an adjustments that are needed. And then once all of that, business is taking care of that's when we can have the groundbreaking and start realizing the center with hopefully it opening in late 2022. That was my next question. Thank you for answering it already. Yes, no problem. That's really, I'm really excited for connected culture. And for you, I know it's been a lot, a lot of work behind the scenes in some ways 2020 was going to be a really

busy year for you. And you mentioned Zoom meetings. And I wanted to mention that you've continued to have virtual meetups on the second Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m. and those will continue at least through June. Yes, they will. Yeah, these are our connect culture check-ins. And something we kind of just, you know, immediately when COVID-19 hit, we decided to have these. There are Zoom meetings, like you said, and all arts and cultural representatives are invited to attend. We just kind of talk about what we all have coming up. If we have any challenges, we can brainstorm on how to help each other fix those problems. And it's just really good to have that sounding board when we're not usually going out and talking with people and meeting up. So those have been really helpful. On the performing arts side for connect to culture, it's been, you know, we were really lucky with having our last performance for the 20. What was it? 2019, 2020 season. All of the years, you know, are mixed up now because of this 2020. But our last season kind of started,

or ended in March, which was right before the pandemic. So we were lucky. Others were not as lucky as us. But in 2021, we're looking at bringing some virtual performance opportunities to the area. So be looking out for those. That would be in the early spring, summer. But hopefully, I think everyone really wants to get back to live in-person entertainment safely. We hope we can do that sometime in the fall of 2021. Yeah, I was going to mention, where are you in the planning stages for the 2021-2022 Curtains Up series? Oh, man, everything is always in flux. If I've learned anything in 2020, you just have to be flexible and, you know, rolling with the punches. Hopefully, the virtual work will work out. We also have kind of a surprise, a surprise performing arts project in the work, which I'm not quite ready to let people know about, but hopefully it works out

and we can bring some more performing arts opportunities around the area safely and surprisingly. That's my only hint. Okay, that's that's that's big news. Regardless of what the regardless of what the news eventually is. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, when I think of connect culture and if somebody wants to see what you've been doing and the nonprofit's been doing throughout the throughout the year, I remember we had a conversation about a year ago or so and looking at how busy your schedule is going to be and connect to culture schedule is going to be with the planning of the new performing arts center and then everything that goes on top of that. Because if unless you've added staff, I remember that you guys have about a staff of five people or so. Is that still true? We have actually we have a staff of one and a half. So we have one and a half. Yes, one full time, one part time. Hopefully going to increase hours as we go, but we have a lot of working board,

you know, so the board kind of makes up for the lack of staff. But of course, what the new center, we will be adding team members. So we've been, you know, working, like you said, there's been so much to do and with the pandemic, it's changed, you know, our workload. But in some ways, I feel like it has increased workloads just because we're taking what we normally do, thinking more creatively, using all of these tools that we've never used before and still just still I think doing a good job about providing that accessibility piece to arts and culture in Joplin, in the Joplin area. Yeah, I was going to ask you what had changed for you because the people that you talk to in Joplin, in Southwest Missouri, they're still, they're just a few miles away from you, but you can't just drive over and have a conversation with them. So what's that like, what's that been like for you on a day-to-day basis this year? Yeah, it's definitely been different. We haven't been meeting

in person, having those conversations in person. But like you said, you know, bringing up those virtual Zoom meetings that we've been hosting. And we've just, we've taken a lot of programs that we already had that were in person and just took them online via Zoom. And in some ways, it increases and increases that, you know, it's weird that it increases audience size and attendance to these in-person programs that we usually had. In some cases, it hasn't, but I think that people have gotten used to doing the Zoom. I think people are a little tired of it, obviously, and we'll look forward to when we can get in person. But, you know, people have had to put more content than they ever have on the internet. So in a way, it's made our job a little bit easier finding out what that they are doing because they're doing more, you know, they're doing their due diligence and getting their performances, if they're having virtual, if they're having classes,

opportunities, they have to put them on their website or their social media pages, which sometimes makes it a lot easier for us to find what they're up to. Is there anything else you'd like to add? I think I'd just like to add that connectic culture is really proud of all of the arts and cultural organizations in the joblin area that have, you know, taken this, you know, really difficult gear and stride. And that, you know, we see a light at the end of the tunnel. We all just need to continue to see creatively. And the arts are such an important part of the recovery. Once, you know, we get to hopefully in late 2021 go back to in person, performances and events and exhibits, all of that. But the arts are so important and we have a big arts advocacy week for the entire state of Missouri coming up in February. So all hands on deck definitely look look out for more information about that. Is that the one that you traveled to Jefferson City

last year and they they closed it down? Yeah, I got snowed out. Yep. This year, you know, this is another fun thing. Hopefully this encourages more participation. But the Missouri Citizens to the Arts, which I'm a board member of, we're planning the Missouri Arts Advocacy Week, the first week in February. So everything will be online. We will encourage people to meet on Zoom with their legislators. There will be a new adopt a legislator program that will roll out and subtract training and advocacy tool kits. And so, you know, a lot of times going to the capital is a detriment and people can't get there. And like last year, you know, it was canceled in part because it's snowed. So this might just make it, you know, even a more successful event having more people be able to take part. Okay. Director of the Arts and Entertainment Nonprofit Connected Culture, Emily Fronkowski. Thank you for your time this morning. No problem. Thanks for having me and happy new year.