Clayart SCtag on thu 19 apr 07
=20
=20
2008 CONFERENCE NEWS =20
To the NCECA Membership,
From the moment that the NCECA Board received the unsettling news from the=20
Hyatt in New Orleans that they would be unable to provide a home for our 20=
08=20
conference, we have been working together to solve the sizable problem that=
=20
their actions created.
First, I want to take this opportunity to provide our membership with an =20
up-to-date report on the results of our efforts since then and how the Boar=
d=20
evaluated the options that were presented to form the conclusion and plan b=
eing=20
presented in this message today.
It was just over a month ago, a day before our conference began in =20
Louisville in March, that the Hyatt informed us of their inability to rebui=
ld their=20
property in New Orleans that was severely damaged during hurricane Katrina.=
=20
This news was staggering for the NCECA Board and staff, and especially so f=
or=20
the site liaisons, considering the amount of effort that had already begun=20
towards the preparations for the 2008 event. I also have to mention the =20
emotional impact it had on those individuals but to the greater arts commun=
ity of=20
New Orleans and the region.
We were immediately forced to evaluate the New Orleans situation, as well a=
s=20
beginning to look elsewhere for a site that might serve our needs in 2008.=20=
=20
Our initial efforts were focused on trying to keep things in place for New=20
Orleans, especially since the first change from Katrina was already felt=20
through the re-location of the 2007 event to Louisville, KY. Returning to N=
ew=20
Orleans was a way to show our support for the city, its artists and arts=20
organizations. These early efforts to save our preferred location for 2008=20=
became =20
increasingly difficult as soon as we began the practical matter of seeking=20
suitable hotel space to meet the number of rooms needed for the 2008 dates.=
In=20
addition, and considering our original plans to house the entire conference=
=20
programming needs within one hotel location (Hyatt), our programming needs=20=
now=20
could only be met by using the New Orleans convention center. The combinati=
on=20
of hotel and convention locations immediately caused concern, especially wh=
en=20
the surveys indicated how much our membership prefers to have these =20
entities in close proximity to one another. The new hotel venue, Marriott,=20=
was=20
nearly one mile away from the convention center, making it necessary for al=
l=20
conference participants to either walk this distance or travel by private b=
us from=20
one site to the other. While we have dealt with this in the past, most=20
recently in Portland where attendees had to travel by streetcar from the ho=
tels to=20
the convention site, it was clear from the feedback from Louisville this =20
year that the convenience of the hotel to the convention center is somethin=
g=20
highly preferred by our members and attendees.
Additionally, there were date conflicts with the hotel arrangements as the=20
only time we could schedule our conference around the available hotel and=20
convention center dates would be in mid-April instead of the desired and=20
traditional dates of March. With the help of a recent survey to our members=
hip, it=20
became obvious that the later date in April would prove difficult for many=20=
=20
members. As a result of all of this information, but with great disappointm=
ent,=20
we were forced to seek other alternatives sites that might fill the gap lef=
t=20
as a result of the Hyatt's disclosure that they would not be able to suppor=
t=20
our conference in 2008.=20
As a Board, we have a fiduciary responsibility to the organization and to=20
our membership - both today and for the future. When we coupled this=20
responsibility with our desire to present a viable location for our next co=
nference,=20
we knew that a decision on a new venue was paramount.
Consequently, and with the continual work of both our staff and board=20
members collecting information on alternative sites, along with the guidanc=
e of our=20
advisory board as well as our senior advisor, Joe Wedding, several potentia=
l=20
venues were pursued. We considered a wide range of issues that guided our=20
selection of a suitable replacement city, some of which included acceptable=
=20
dates in March of 2008, cost, hotel space, programming and gallery facilit=
ies,=20
along with location, dining and other intangible aspects that help add=20
greatly to the NCECA conference experience. Through this detailed effort, w=
hich=20
took several weeks to complete, we were fortunate to discover that one loca=
tion,=20
Pittsburgh, PA, met these requirements better than any other site we=20
researched for the preferred time period.=20
So, it is with great satisfaction and pleasure that I officially announce=20
the selection of the city of Pittsburgh to our members, as the 2008 confere=
nce=20
site for March 19-22, 2008.
While the decision was an arduous one, it is the product of many people=20
working long and hard to find resolution. The selection of Pittsburgh meets=
our=20
immediate needs, but perhaps more importantly, it also provides an opportun=
ity=20
for us to present the NCECA conference in a location that will be hosting u=
s=20
for the first time in the 41-year history of NCECA. With the wonderful=20
ambiance of the three-river city of Pittsburgh, known for its rolling lands=
cape =20
and ethnic influences in everything from music to traditional dance and=20
memorable dining, we are confident Pittsburgh will provide us with a most s=
uitable=20
home for our 2008 gathering.
Supporting six different colleges and universities, a modern international=20=
=20
airport facility, a thriving arts community that includes the world class=20
Andy Warhol Museum and more than a dozen historical and cultural attraction=
s, as=20
well as a general population of nearly 400,000 people, an environmentally=20
friendly Pittsburgh is eager to serve as host to NCECA members. We are all=20
certain that the city will work to provide us all with a most memorable=20
conference experience. We look forward with excitement to presenting NCECA=20=
in this=20
new venue, and will now begin the task of putting together a professional=20
conference that will reflect the high standards NCECA members have come to=20=
expect.=20
We feel we have discovered an opportunity for NCECA to forge new=20
relationships with a community of dedicated artists in a new geographic loc=
ation,=20
previously unknown to us and we welcome this new destination to head east.
Although we're looking to the future with great excitement, I also want you=
=20
to know that our original commitment to New Orleans has not diminished. In=20
fact, we are resolved to find a heartfelt and creative way to serve the nee=
ds=20
of this distressed community through the presentation of ceramic art or an=20
equally important project.=20
We ask that all our members join us in embracing Pittsburgh by attending=20
next year's conference. I also ask that you offer your best visions, ideas=20=
and=20
thoughts for how NCECA might best serve New Orleans in the very near future=
.
I want to express my sincere thanks to all of our members who have =20
patiently awaited this outcome, and again, I ask that you each support the=20=
conference=20
in 2008.=20
Information about the conference theme will be forthcoming and proposals fo=
r=20
presentation in Pittsburgh are encouraged. As a result, the posted date for=
=20
proposals of May 1, 2007 is now extended by one week (to May 8) in order to=
=20
help those wishing to make presentations for Pittsburgh in 2008.=20
Questions relating to this deadline and other related proposal presentation=
s=20
should be sent to our Programs Director, Joe Molinaro at=20
joe.molinaro@eku.edu.=20
I look forward to seeing you all in Pittsburgh in March of 2008!=20
Robert Harrison
NCECA President =20
Website update
We are working on updating all 2008 information on the NCECA website. This=20
may take a few days, please check the site www.nceca.net regularly for the=20
most up-to-date information. =20
=20
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