A broad collection of human activities (including painting, sculpture, music, theatre, dance literature, and more) that involve skill, creativity, and imagination to produce aesthetic objects, environments, products, or experiences.

Examples include:

• Visual arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, and photography
• Performing arts: dance, music, and theatre  
• Literary arts: fiction, drama, poetry, and prose   
• Media arts: film, video, and digital art
• Interdisciplinary arts: combining different art forms (e.g., opera, which combines music, drama, and visual arts) 
  

People’s sense of belonging is tied to their ability to lead meaningful lives, to be connected to the place they live in and the people they live among, and to feel a part of something larger than themselves with the rights and responsibilities that entails. 

The creative economy encompasses economic activities that leverage creativity and cultural assets to drive innovation, generate jobs, and contribute to a region’s economic growth and cultural vitality. It includes sectors like the arts, design, and technology, and extends beyond traditional industries to encompass a broader range of creative endeavors. 

Aspects of a group or society that are passed on through generations.

Culture encompasses the broad range of beliefs, practices, and traditions that characterize a group (including languages, traditions, religions, and folklore).

Heritage represents specific objects, sites, and intangible aspects that are preserved or remembered as a part of a culture’s history and identity.

the practice of creating place-based plans that identify priorities, guide investment, and inform local policies concerning arts and culture. Typically, cultural plans help guide how a locality should:

• Spend public and private dollars
• Develop facilities
• Establish or change regulations
• Use public spaces and government buildings
• Promote economic development and tourism
• Support educational or artistic programs
• Make other decisions that affect arts and culture in the county  
  

The cultural sector includes many types of art, creative work, and cultural practices, along with the organizations and places that support them. These activities add cultural value to our community, and sometimes economic value as well. The cultural sector includes non-profit, business, and government organizations. 

Cultural activities can include performing arts, visual arts, music, writing, film, design, crafts, humanities, and cooking. They also include museums, galleries, libraries, archives, publishing, cultural sites, cultural organizations, festivals, religious or cultural celebrations, and events.  

Other related activities include art education, art stores, art services, advertising and marketing, graphic design, film and television, as well as special financial, legal, and tech services that help creative people and cultural groups to thrive.

The ability of artists, cultural organizations, and creative economy businesses to handle changes in leadership or staff; deal with shifting audience tastes, community makeup, or funding situations; and overcome disruptions like natural disasters or changes in government policies.   

The activities that help us understand and preserve the diverse array of human cultures, ideas, practices, and experiences. These activities show us our history and cultures, and the ideas and movements that have shaped societies over time. The humanities typically include subjects like anthropology, archaeology, sociology, history and cultural studies; ethics, philosophy and religion; language studies; art history, literature and media studies. The humanities often involve scholarly work but also can include community-based activities.

Generally, the idea of two things overlapping, crossing each other, and connecting at certain points. For the purposes of this plan, intersectionality means using arts, culture, and the humanities to help solve community challenges. Specifically, ways in which the cultural sector/creative economy can connect with the government and local NGOs in innovative ways to add value to domains such as housing, economic development, well-being/health, education, community building, and environmental stewardship.