Join us in beautiful downtown Denver for an exciting and thought-provoking exploration of the role of the arts and education in strengthening the connection between creative pursuits and building creative capital.

Creativity and innovation are the watchwords of the day, but what do they really mean for:

• Education systems where schools and colleges face an imperative to prepare college and career-ready graduates able to succeed in today's highly competitive global marketplace?
• Economic systems where local communities and states grow increasingly reliant upon the creative industries sector to contribute to the bottom line?
• Cultural systems where non-profit and for-profit business and industries alike must help nurture a creative commons that will support a well-educated, diverse, engaged, and healthy society?

Are the arts a logical starting place to seek answers to these and other questions about creativity and innovation?

We believe they are. Come and explore these questions and more with your arts and education colleagues from around the country.

Click HERE for more resources on creativity and innovation.

Featured Speakers

Judy Estrin, CEO, JLABS, LLC and author, Closing the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter

Colorado Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien

Congressman Jared Polis, 2nd District of Colorado

Dwight D. Jones, Colorado Commissioner of Education

Senator Rollie Heath, Colorado State Senate District 18

Allegra "Happy" Haynes, Colorado Commission on Higher Education

Walter Isenberg, Co-Founder and CEO, Sage Hospitality

Elaine Mariner, Executive Director, Colorado Creative Industries

Kerry Hart, President, Morgan Community College

More Reasons to Join Us

It's our birthday! AEP turns 15 in 2010, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than to talk about the things we love best with the people who ar thinking about them most engagingly.

We'll also be hosting a special AEP 15 year birthday party and reception on the first night of the Forum

AND

A special conference rate of $189/night is reserved for a block of rooms at the gorgeous Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, where all Forum meetings will take place. Almost 4,000 pieces of art are displayed throughout the hotel, many by Colorado artists.

We Need Your Voices

Small group session proposals are due July 30. The Full RFP can be downloaded here.

Student submissions for the program cover art contest are alos due July 30. The full RFP can be downloaded here.

Forum Schedule Information

Welcome and Overview: Thursday, October 21 at 9:30 am
Closing Speaker: Friday, October 22 from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm, with a book signing after.

Check back soon as more schedule information is released.

Registration Information

Registration Rate: $195
Registration Period: July 15, 2010 - October 8, 2010
Late Registration Rate: $225
Late Registration Period: October 9 - October 19, 2010

Inclusion in the Forum attendee roster is not guaranteed for all registrants who register during late registration period.

All cancellations must be made in writing (via e-mail or fax) by October 8, 2010. We cannot refund registration fees for cancellations of attendance after the announced cancellation deadline.

Hotel Information

Hotel Name: Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
650 15th Street, Denver, CO 80202; 303.436.1234
Hotel Room Rate: $189/night + tax
Hotel Room Rate Cut-Off Date: September 30, 2010
Reservation Information: http://denverregency.hyatt.com/groupbooking/denccccss2010

Travel Information

The closest airport is Denver International Airport (DIA).

For additional information about Denver, Colorado, please visit the Visit Denver website.

Small Group Discussion Proposal Information

AEP is seeking proposals for small-group sessions for the Fall 2010 National Forum meeting: "Creativity Works: Arts, Education and the Innovation Economy." Click here to access the application form and submit your proposals to Laura Smyth, Senior Associate for Communications and Partnerships at lauras@ccsso.org. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2010.

Cover Art Contest Information

The Arts Education Partnership is seeking submissions of art to be featured as the cover design for the program of the AEP Fall 2010 National Forum, “Creativity Works: Arts, Education and the Innovation Economy." The winner will have his/her work displayed on the cover along with a brief biography in the AEP Fall National Forum's program. The winner will also receive a monetary prize of $100. For more contest details and/or submission form, please click here. If you have any questions about the contest, please e-mail them to aep@ccsso.org.

Creativity Resources

From Newsweek's article detailing the decline of creativity in America to Massachusetts passing legislation for a Creativity Challenge Index, the issue has become a hot-button topic in education policy.

	Newsweek, July 19, 2010. Creativity in America: The Science of Innovation and How to Reignite Our Imaginations By Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman The Newsweek article alerted Americans to the Creativity Crisis. The authors examine the declining creativity scores, creativity and arts learning, and strategies for increasing creativity in America. Read the full article HERE.
	Massachusetts Creativity Challenge Index Legislation In July, Massachusetts passed legislation establishing an index by which to measure creativity in schools. The Creative Challenge Index has been a central advocacy goal of the Mass. Advocates for Arts, Sciences, and Humanities (MAASH) and Arts|Learning. You can read more about it HERE.
	Council of Chief State School Officers Response to "The Creativity Crisis" CCSSO has been developing a number of programs aimed at advancing, encouraging, and measuring creativity in American schools. Click HERE to read more about CCSSO's programs.
	Creativity, Innovation and Arts Learning: Preparing All Students for Success in a Global Economy Our economic growth as a nation depends on our ability to generate new ideas and translate those ideas into concrete innovations. Read the entire AEP publication HERE.

Blue Bear images courtesy of the Denver Metro Convention and Visitor's Bureau