Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts will refine its Creative Ecosystem initiative through in-depth evaluation, and develop the framework as an adaptable model for the field. As a vehicle for both community-driven and artist-inspired change, the Creative Ecosystem connects a broad group of citizens through convening and fellowship, providing platforms for shared exploration and learning to foster innovative ideas for addressing community challenges. During the two-year project, the museum will convene two annual summits where community members and creative changemakers come together to discuss pressing questions affecting area neighborhoods and produce three key community-related issues to guide that year's Creative Ecosystem program. The museum will follow each summit with an open call for 60 individuals to engage in paid fellowships, meet together to pool their collective knowledge, and find and test solutions to the key issues raised in the summits. The Fellows will present their responses to issues during yearly Public Square events where community members can engage with work-in-progress solutions.