As we get set to launch the Create WV 2008 Conference today, we asked ourselves "Has there been any impact on West Virginia in the past 12 months? Do we see tangible progress towards building the New Economy?"
We asked in a survey "Is your community actively including key pillars of building creative communities for the new economy in your local growth and development plans?" And here's what you said:
- We're actively infusing new economy thinking into our plans - 33%
- We're just getting started, but we're committed - 38%
- Not sure - 5%
- Not yet - It's not well understood, but we're open to the possibility - 14%
- Not at all - It's not understood or accepted in our area - 10%
That's pretty good momentum. We also asked you to help us build a list of what's going on out there. And boy did we come away feeling excited! Here are just a FEW of the highlights from the last 12 months:
QUALITY OF PLACE
- Community Development Hub launched
- 40% increase in total arts funding in West Virginia
- Create Huntington and the Old Main Corridor Project
- WV Music Hall of Fame launched
- Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton opened
- Gary Bowling's House of Art opened in Bluefied
- Clay Center Community Arts Programs in Mingo, Logan, Kanawha, Lincoln, Clay
- 30th Anniversary of the Morgan Arts Council!
- American Mountain Theater opened in Elkins
- Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op and Opera House
- Charleston's East End Wi-Fi program launch
DIVERSITY
- Diversity Leadership Academy and Communities United Against Hate forums in Charleston
- One WVU Campaign
- Five Inclusive Communities program members in WV: Morgantown, Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Huntington, Ranson
- "Communities in Schools" in Greenbrier County
TECHNOLOGY and R&D
- Bucks for Brains and Bucks for Jobs program passes
- NETL Tech Support Facility in Morgantown
- CWP Inc - Fossil fuels research partnership with WVU, Carnegie Mellon and Pitt
- Statewide broadband plan revealed
- Robert C. Byrd Science and Tech Center at Marshall
- Marshall Institute for Interdisciplinary Research launched
- MATRIC expansion in South Charleston
- Tech Connect WV reveals Blueprint for Tech-Based Economic Development
- State support for SBIR grants
- Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute
- WV Angel Investor Network
EDUCATION AND TALENT
- 21st Century Learning Initiative by WV Dept of Education
- Center for Educational Technology at Wheeling Jesuit
- STEM initiative at Marshall University
- Come Home to WV campaign by WV Dept of Commerce
- Globaloria program - learning via online gaming
We know there are more, so please take the 5-10 minute survey to let us know what is going on in your community! There is nothing better to build momentum in our state than to share the progress that is happening in every county.
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