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In addition to grant making, an important role of the Oklahoma Arts Council is to provide technical assistance to artists, nonprofit organizations, educators, and community developers across the state. Staff expertise is an invaluable resource for Oklahoma's arts community. As Deputy Director, Amy Weaver offers a wealth of experience in nonprofit arts administration.  

From early career work with an assembly of Texas local arts agencies to a stint with the Texas Commission on the Arts, and, more recently, positions with the Oklahoma Centennial Commission and Native American Cultural and Education Authority, Weaver's background is an asset for individuals and organizations needing assistance with issues such as community engagement, project management, fund development, strategic planning, and more.  
From her experience, Weaver believes nonprofits are best served by focusing on two things: 1) making community connections and, 2) aligning programs with mission. 

Below, Weaver discusses her career experiences and how they led to her to serving arts organizations in our state as Oklahoma Arts Council Deputy Director. 

Q1: What did you learn from your early experience working with an assembly serving local arts councils in Texas? 
A1: I learned the importance of thinking in the context of one's own community. The assembly worked with more than 120 organizations of different types and budgets. In some cases the arts were deeply rooted in their city or town and in others a handful of individuals were bringing the arts to a much underserved area. But what they each had in common was the need to develop within their unique community.  

Q2: You recently led the process of developing the Oklahoma Arts Council's new five-year strategic plan, which included a mission to lead in the advancement of Oklahoma's thriving arts industry. What are you thoughts on an organization's establishment of a mission? 
A2: First, I would encourage organizations to establish a mission that is strongly backed by the board of directors and staff—a statement that everyone can firmly stand behind. A traditional SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) is always a good jumping off point. Then, I would urge that they be vigilant about tying all of their programming to that mission. As new opportunities come along, they should be assessed in relation to the mission before pursuing.

Q3: What changes have you observed in the arts and cultural industry over time during your career? 
A3: During my work with the Texas Commission on the Arts, which is Texas' version of the Oklahoma Arts Council, we worked with organizations ranging from grassroots to nationally recognized, assisting them to evolve with the changing needs within the state. Arts organizations were learning that it was not enough to do arts and cultural programming in hopes that attendance and audiences would grow, and state arts agencies were continuing to see the importance of arts education delivery by artists and arts organizations. As I have seen the arts industry change during my work over the past 25 plus years, I have seen the continued movement to foster arts education across the lifespan and expand audiences through community engagement. Nonprofit arts organizations and artists have continued to demonstrate their relevance as community needs have shifted.

Amber Weaver is available at (405) 521-2021 or amy.weaver@arts.ok.gov.

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