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Project Consulting

Project Consulting

Explore a variety of the projects we have worked on over the years.

Please contact us for rates to work with your business, organization or department on your upcoming projects and facilitation needs.

The Morongo Basin Strategic Plan for Arts and Culture

Community Outreach and engagement

Cultural Asset Mapping

Research and resource development

Networking

Outreach & Community

Morongo Basin Strategic Plan for Arts and Culture

In summer 2017, San Bernardino County’s Land Use Services Department commissioned the creation of this Morongo Basin Strategic Plan for Culture and the Arts. The project is grounded in the extraordinary artistic and cultural community that has developed in the region over the past twenty or more years, and which community leaders believe is now facing an unprecedented opportunity for a great step forward in its evolution.

The purpose of the strategic plan is to advance the culture and arts of the communities of Morongo Basin, while strengthening the economic impact of these treasured resources. Planning focused on identifying the goals of the artistic and cultural people and organizations in the communities of Morongo Valley, Pioneertown, Yucca Valley, Yucca Mesa, Flamingo Heights, Landers, Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms and Wonder Valley. Planning encompassed a full range of artists and artistic work present in the region. Artists include the visual artists, musicians, theater artists, dancers, writers, media artists, designers, arts entrepreneurs, arts educators, technicians and other production people, and more.

A Communities Committee guided development of this plan. It is composed of 20 leaders representing the diversity of the region, in several different dimensions. Diversity means representation from the demographic and cultural diversity of the people in Morongo Basin’s communities. Diversity also means geographic representation as well as representation from the arts, education, business, local government, military, National Park and other sectors. The diversity of the group is an essential way of informing the plan and of devising strategies rooted in the region’s communities. The Communities Committee was assisted by a team of consultants and supported by the County staff members.

The plan is informed by community engagement and supplementary research conducted between September 2017 and April 2018. A total of more than 500 people in the region participated directly in planning.

Engagement and research activities included:

Work sessions of the Communities Committee and sub-committees, or Strategy Teams, which included additional community members

 Stakeholder interviews and discussion groups

Public community activities and discussions, including the Joshua Tree Farmers Market, Saturday Art Walk, Beatnik Lounge and Palms Restaurant

Community survey, conducted online and via intercepts at locations throughout Morongo Basin

Inventory and mapping of arts and cultural assets

Market study

Existing conditions analysis

SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)

Case studies of organizations and programs relevant to the strategic plan

Research into potential funding sources

Review of relevant plans and studies

A key characteristic of this strategic plan is that the community will be the lead in its implementation. This aligns with the practice of the Land Use Services Department, which has assisted in the development of many local community plans, created by community members. These are designed for local stakeholders to take charge of issues of immediate importance, within the overall framework of the County’s planning.

One objective of this strategic plan is to build capacity for Morongo Basin’s arts community and its partners to take the next steps in cultural development for themselves and their communities. It is envisioned this Morongo Basin Strategic Plan for Culture and the Arts will serve as an exemplar and motivation for other arts communities in the County to assume leadership for their cultural development.

Implementation & Next Steps

This plan is now a living, breathing document and is evolving alongside the present community efforts. Leading the way for project implementation is Joshua Tree Living Arts, a local non profit agency whose mission is strengthening our community through the arts. See more about JTLA here : joshuatreelivingarts.org

Arts Connection is a proud cultural partner with JTLA and is continually seeking avenues to connect artists locally and regionally and to work towards implementing many of the goals outlined in this plan.

In May 2019 this plan was honored with two Category Awards from the Inland Empire Section of the AMerican Planning Association.

Economic Planning and Development Award

Public Outreach Awards

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Call for Artists – Request for Qualifications

Publicity and editing

Technical assistance

Contracts and agreements

Proposal preparation

Artist consultation

All services are based on a custom fee structure. Please contact the office with direct inquiries about your individual project needs. Main office can be reached at 909 381 1900 or info@artsconnectionnetwork.org

Calls, RFQs and Proposals

Arts Connection works with businesses, organizations and civic agencies to develop and facilitate calls for artists and requests for proposals.

This is just one example of a project we worked on with St. John’s Episcopal Church in San Bernardino in 2019.

Arts Connection worked one-one-one with key leadership at St. John’s to craft the language for the project and put together the request for proposals and associated flyer and online promotion.
Arts Connection did the publicity for the call and then helped with the review and selection of the artist team.
Explore the materials produced, as well as the videos published as a part of the project.
Contact us for quotes to work with you on future projects. Every project is highly adaptive and customizable.
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Morongo Basin Active Transportation Plan

Outreach and Engagement

Project planning

Surveys and Reporting

Outreach & Community

DPW Press Release – Morongo Basin Active Transportation Plan -9-2017
Morongo Basin Active Transportation Plan -9-2017
Morongo Basin
General Map
Morongo Basin Active Transportation Plan Factsheet
Morongo Basin Active Transportation Plan Local Artist RFQ

Gallery