Creative Economy Summit 2025
The Creative Economy Summit: Art at Work - Driving Economic Vitality Through Culture
The NWCT Arts Council hosted their first Creative Economy Summit on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at the Five Points Arts Center in Torrington; sharing the resources available to artists and cultural organizations, and shining a light on all the hard work that goes into creating the vibrant and thriving arts community that resides in NWCT.
Attendees were invited to enjoy a networking breakfast before the start of the program and during a short intermission, provided by LaMonica's Restaurant and Catering in Torrington.
The Summit presented two discussion panels, The Creative Economy Panel and the Tourism & Marketing Panel, featuring arts and cultural professionals, business owners, and public leaders discussing economic growth and creativity as a business, and the impacts of the arts on tourism and public engagement.
Each panel shared many different creative approaches to supporting a vibrant arts community, solutions to the challenges they have faced, and how those approaches benefit our local economy. Following each discussion, audience members were invited to ask questions and share their experiences.
The Creative Economy Panel featured (Moderator) Rista Malanca, Director of Economic Community Development of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, Nils Johnson, owner of Little Red Barn Brewer, Kristy Barto, owner of Nutmeg Fudge Co., Michelle Gorra, Economic & Community Development Coordinator of the Town of Washington, and Michelle McCabe, Executive Director of CT Main Street.
The Tourism & Marketing Panel consisted of (Moderator) Tara-Marie Lynch Bares, the Chairman of the Economic Development Commission of Litchfield, Hunter Guillen, Lead Brand Manager of Miranda Creative, Alex Page-Hatley, the Marketing Director for the Warner Theatre/Bushnell Theatre, and Amy Wynn, Executive Director of the American Mural Project.
Images: (Left) the Creative Economy Panel: Rista Malanca, Nils Johnson, Kristy Barto, Michelle Gorra, & Michelle McCabe, (Right) the Tourism & Marketing Panel: Tara-Marie Lynch Bares, Hunter Guillen,
Alex Page-Hatley, & Amy Wynn
Leaders of cultural organizations and businesses were invited to present the resources they offer to facilitate other creative businesses or endeavors, tips they've learned along the way to see success, and their ongoing or upcoming initiatives.
Among the presenters were Steph Burr of the NWCT Arts Council, John Fiorello from the Entrepreneurial Center of Northwest CT, Ted Shafer of the Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce, Erin Mercedes of the Women's Business Development Council, Cyndi Tolosa of CT Humanities, Matt Conway of RiseUP! for the Arts, Evan Dobos of CivicLift, and Kimberly Parsons Whitaker of the CT Office of the Arts.
Images: (From Left) John Fiorello, Erin Mercedes, Cyndi Tolosa, & Evan Dobos
"I just want to thank you...for putting together today’s Creative Economy Summit. It was a terrific day. The sessions were interesting, the conversations were engaging, and it was clear how much work went into pulling all of it together.
I especially appreciated the mix of voices in the room and the way the sessions connected the arts to the bigger picture - economic vitality, community development, and the role creativity plays in shaping our region. It gave me a lot to think about and a lot of energy for what’s possible."
- Stephanie Fried | Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, Marketing - The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
"Wonderful event!!! Thank you so much for tackling the Creative Economy subject so thoroughly... I gained a lot of valuable insights, networking connections, and cool ideas...
Very exciting. Congratulations and well done!!!"
- William Wallach | Economic Development Director of Torrington
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All presentation materials are available in this slideshow, presented at the Summit.
Please use this Table of Contents to find specific presentations or videos feautured in the slide show:
Who is the NWCT Arts Council (Video) - Slide 6
Northwest Community StartUp: Entrepreneurial Center of NWCT - Slides 8 thru 32
Women's Business Development Council - Slides 35 thru 41
Connecticut Humanities - Slides 43 thru 59
Creative Innovation Spotlight: Market Street Creatives (Video) - Slide 61
RiseUP! for the Arts: Placemaking & Public Art - Slides 63 thru 106
CivicLift: Building a Digital Network - Slides 108 thru 117
CT Office of the Arts: Creative Economy & Cultural Districts - Slide 121 thru 151
New AirBNB Experiences and Services - Slides 153 & 154
