For the City Times

At its Second City fundraiser on Saturday, the Arts Alliance of Portage County announced that it is re-launching as CREATE Portage County.

Started as an initiative in December of 2014, CREATE positions the Arts Alliance to better support creative community and economic development and to draw stronger ties between the arts and other sectors.

CREATE is the natural progression of the work of the Arts Alliance. After 10-plus years of advocating for arts & culture, the Arts Alliance of Portage County has seen firsthand the unique impact of creativity on our communities.

“Stevens Point is an incredibly creative place,” said Greg Wright, Executive Director of CREATE. “Not only do we have a rich arts community, but we are the birthplace of conservation and wellness as fields of study, we have award-winning beverage producers, and we have businesses constantly innovating to provide better products and services to the world at large.”

CREATE portage county has adopted the impact statement “making creativity central” and is focused on three goals: to promote creative place-making, to support people who create, and to grow creative arts & entertainment experiences.

“Our shift to CREATE will enable us to better support and market this valuable community asset,” Wright added.

CREATE will also soon launch its IDEA Center, a community space for Innovators, Designers, Entrepreneurs, and Artists.

For more information about CREATE and its initiatives or to become a supporting member of this community nonprofit, check out www.createportagecounty.org.