The Delaware Arts Alliance releases a new plan to support arts and tourism as part of the state’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

The Creative Economy Advancement and Tourism Expansion, or CREATE Plan, is the first of its kind in the nation. The plan tackles post-pandemic challenges and provides actionable solutions to strengthen Delaware’s creative economy.

DAA Executive Director Neil Kirschling explains they formed the plan with feedback from over 600 Delawareans through online surveys, stakeholder focus groups, and events conducted last year, producing an economic impact analysis of the creative economy in Delaware.

“We heard over and over again that there is a lot of excitement and energy coming out of the pandemic,” Kirschling says. “Arts organizations survived a really difficult time for their budgets and are now looking at this new reality post-COVID, looking to us for recommendations to the state for ways to support them, and thinking about how they can do business differently.”

DAA also designed an online asset map – a searchable index of more than 2500 creative economy assets in Delaware.

Finally, DAA crafted an action plan with 25 policy recommendations for strengthening the state’s arts and tourism sectors.

“We hope that those who see these recommendations will agree with us on these goals of stimulating economic activity, putting cultural tourism at the heart of Delaware’s brand, providing more equitable access to arts education in public schools, breaking down silos and catalyzing cross-sector collaboration and really tackling some inequality that exists currently within the creative economy,” Kirschling says.

Those recommendations cover arts funding, education, industry support, and more. The action steps are designed for everyone – government, businesses, artists and community members alike.

For example, Kirschling says the plan suggests updating event licensing and permitting – noting feedback from focus groups often mentioned the process for obtaining special event permits is difficult. This would include creating a statewide “one-stop-shop” for licensing and permitting, a “best practice” that Kirschling says is happening nationwide.

Kirschling says the plan also calls for the creative economy to be included in statewide business and economic development communications and programs.

“In polling our artistic businesses we learned that they all need financial support, business support, legal support, copyrights training, and these are the sorts of things that could be offered in statewide business and economic development programs,” Kirschling says.

Kirschling also highlighted modernizing Delaware’s media and film industry to encourage and attract film opportunities.

DAA’s plan recommends the state find more revenue streams to support creative businesses through grants for health, professional development, and education.

On education, Kirschling says they are hoping to secure arts funding for every student in public education and promote arts degrees in higher education.