Creative West Celebrates 14 Years of Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar

Seminar brings together 98 arts advocates from 13 western states and 3 Pacific jurisdictions

DENVER, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2011, Creative West (formerly WESTAF), has convened arts advocates from across the West—including members of the Leaders of Color Alumni Network, the Western Arts Advocacy Network, and our Board of Trustees—for a two-day seminar in Washington, D.C., also known as the Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar (ALAS).

ALAS brings arts advocates together to engage with congressional members and their staff, connect with policymakers, and exchange effective strategies for advancing arts and cultural policy. Sessions focus on advocacy training, grassroots organizing, and leveraging collective voices to advocate for positive change for the arts at the local and national levels.

"Arts advocacy is essential—now more than ever," said Creative West Deputy Director David Holland. "While this moment demands urgency, advocacy has always been a sustained and vital effort. Without it, the rich landscape of arts and cultural experiences across the Creative West region and the nation would not exist as we know it."

Guided by our mission to make the arts accessible to communities in the West and beyond, ALAS has become a cornerstone in our efforts to unite arts advocates and share knowledge with the field. Since its inception, the seminar has grown and empowered hundreds of leaders, amplifying their voices and driving meaningful change in their communities.

ALAS 2025: Key Takeaways from Our Biggest Seminar Yet tells the story of ALAS—its history, impact, and growth over the past 14 years. Hear directly from participants about what ALAS means to them and how it has made a difference in their communities.

Read the full story at: https://wearecreativewest.org/alas-2025-key-takeaways-from-our-biggest-seminar-yet/.

About Creative West

Established in 1974 as a nonprofit U.S. Regional Arts Organization (USRAO), we serve a broad and diverse region that stretches from the Arctic Coast to the Desert Southwest and from the Great Plains to the Pacific Islands. We offer direct, practical support to artists, culture bearers, state arts agencies, and creative organizations, aiming to work distributively in support of community-defined goals. Our direct-service work includes funding, programming, leadership development, research, advocacy, technology, and convening to move arts and cultural policy forward. We support goals directly—seeking partnership, not power—knowing that the region contains multitudes.

Media Contact

Leah Horn | Creative West

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SOURCE Creative West