New Year's Eve...

Well, today is the last day of the 4th year of the journey to iCREATE.

Tomorrow, April 17th, marks the 5th anniversary of my first meeting with the Texas Commission for the Arts. Since most of you haven't been here for the whole story, I thought I'd take the opportunity to give you the background today and then the update tomorrow.

Believe me, a whole lot has happened just in the 7 weeks since I submitted the contestant video to Oprah's "Big Give"...though no call from Oprah yet. But there is still 24 hours till the official anniversary time...LOL.

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RISKING IT ALL.

Here's my story:

On April 17, 2002, in a meeting at the Texas Commission on the Arts, I was asked what was missing in the Austin cultural arts landscape. I promptly answered, "an architectural artisan school." And from that simple exchange a 5-year mission was born.

Since then, I have pursued, researched, & otherwise wrangled a whole world of information into a model that has become the basis for my contribution to the social entrepreneurship arena: cultural strategy. As I define it, cultural strategy is the creation of economic development opportunities that balance community, culture & commerce. The key is to develop projects articulating how all those elements work together as the basis for sustainable growth based on shared cultural values. Example projects:

**Working to refine an economic development project in which iCREATE hopes to add to the Manor Education Foundation's vision for the STELLAR campus in Manor Texas. The overarching message of the project is "Science from the Playground to the Planetarium", promoting a creative campus model that reconnects art & science at long last!

**Invited to Kristiansan Norway in 2006 to participate in a discussion of potential cultural incubators in alignment with the iCREATE model; also developing the sister city relationship between Austin & Kristiansand beginning with an filmmaker & musician exchange program.

**Developing an urban teahouse concept which will be a one-stop shop for inner & outer health, with 10% of all proceeds committed to supporting the iCREATE model & programs.

There is quite a range, but they all capture the winning combination of community, culture & commerce, the 3 elements needed to create sustainable opportunity for all global citizens. The ultimate goal is to have this program become part of the UN's War on Poverty. I have no doubt that it will happen.