Strategic Plan

The need to develop a comprehensive, strategic plan to create access to creative industries was determined by an interagency study, "Artists Mean Business," in Hawaii from 2003 to 2004, funded by the Social Security Administration, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the United States Department of Education.

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific were designated as the statewide managers of the "Artists Mean Business" study.

The study found:

• Barriers to access to business education, training, and information, and the creation of small business and marketing plans for people with disabilities.
• Strengths inherent in the culture and social networks of Hawaii that would contribute to the success of careers in creative industries for people with disabilities.
• A viable market for the creative products of Native Hawaiians, South Pacific Islanders, and artists with disabilities in Hawaii.

These findings resulted in proposals for:

• Systems change to overcome barriers to access in workforce developmental council partners and small business infrastructure to advance creative industries for people with disabilities
• A statewide artists' collective.
• A statewide career coalition.

The Hawaii Workforce Development Council, the University of Hawaii, and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific will jointly convene a task force to examine strategies for systems change to create access to small business development and careers in creative industries for people with disabilities in Hawaii. The findings and recommendations will be reported to the governor and legislature.