Region 2020
Region 2020 is a regional planning agency for a twelve-county region in Central Alabama that includes the City of Birmingham, the state’s largest city. The agency spearheaded a comprehensive regional cultural planning project that engaged residents throughout the region, from Tuscaloosa to Talladega. African American involvement in the process was extensive. Throughout the project, WolfBrown consultants conducted an extensive public process with a series of community meetings as well as many focus groups on specific topics of interest. Over 400 people were directly engaged in the process.
The plan recommended several significant new initiatives, including a new regional arts council, which would have responsibility for a major new funding initiative called the Greater Birmingham Cultural Trust. The plan called for major commitments from County government in support of the arts as well as increased commitments from the City of Birmingham. It also proposed building a new regional cultural center on the site of Boutwell Auditorium, an outmoded civic auditorium.
The plan was unveiled at the annual meeting of the Community Foundation in March of 2003, with over 600 people in attendance. A committee of civic leaders began to work immediately on establishing the regional arts council. A few months later, WolfBrown was hired and conducted a successful search for the Executive Director of the new Regional Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham.
Go to www.region2020.org