The University of the Arts

The Intersection of Creativity + Business: Honoring the President’s Legacy at The University of the Arts

Since President Miguel Angel Corzo assumed the position of President and CEO at The University of the Arts (UArts) in 2000, the 130 year-old Philadelphia-based arts institution had grown in size, scope and influence. During his tenure, the university earned wide recognition for educating creative leaders, and in 2007, it hit a record enrollment level and received a landmark endowment gift. A cornerstone of the president’s vision was the Center for the Creative Economy, an initiative through which he committed to exploring and exposing the impact creativity has on economic growth. When President Corzo decided to leave UArts to return to L.A. and head the Colburn School, university leadership turned to Rose Communications to create an event that would allow the greater community to acknowledge his many contributions and honor his legacy. Additionally, the event needed to renew enthusiasm for the Center among business and cultural leaders.

Fresh Perspective

We were charged with creating an event that paid tribute to President Corzo’s work, but we also wanted to spark interest in the Center and generate news to ensure the reverberations would be felt beyond the immediate university community. The President’s imminent departure had already been announced and the Center for the Creative Economy, which had been founded nearly two years earlier, had already been covered by the media, so neither of these developments warranted notice on their own. To attract attendance and attention, we identified several fresh elements and we added them together to tell a full and compelling new story.

Authentic Approach

To create a memorable event and generate news coverage, we:

  • Brought multiple elements together to ensure news value: dedicated the center to President Corzo, revealed a multi-million dollar gift, unveiled the center’s new identity, and disclosed fresh data about the university’s economic impact on the region
  • Involved a recognized guest speaker, Richard Florida, author of the Rise of the Creative Class, the book that inspired the launch of the center
  • Infused the evening with dramatic elements: a visual and auditory reveal of the center’s new identity
  • Invited key influencers including press and members of the business and creative elite
Meaningful Impact

As a result of our efforts we:

  • Drew more than 200 prominent members of the Philadelphia arts and business communities to the event
  • Fostered an exchange between creative people and business leaders – a key component of the Center’s mission
  • Secured briefs about event in area publications in the weeks prior and garnered positive follow-on coverage in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Business Journal, and The City Paper, among others
  • Drew attention to the creative economy as a topic on the local agenda and set the stage for continued positive momentum for the Miguel Angel Corzo Center for the Creative Economy
  • Earned accolades from university leadership: “It was a flawless event and a spectacular one at that! Congratulations on a job well done.” - Chief Advancement Officer, The University of the Arts

SHOW AND TELL

Miguel Angel Corzo, President and CEO of the University of the Arts

Richard Florida, bestselling author of The Rise of the Creative Class

“We’re on a positive trajectory, but we must maintain our leadership position and commitment to the creative economy. The region’s economic growth depends upon it.”

“The University of the Arts’ Center for the Creative Economy has received funding, a new name, a permanent home, and a blessing from the man who coined the term, ‘creative economy.’”

“Corzo said in a recent interview that the business community must become more involved with the arts community and that art is just as important to economic growth as other industries. He said he sees this city as a cultural treasure, yet more can be done.”

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