Pathways, for the Arts and Oceans, has for the past decade provided a stage for local artists to present expressions in artforms of all mediums inspired by the oceans, sustainable living, imagined gardens and landscapes, cultural diversity and multi-generational collaborations. This alliance with Vineyard FutureWorks aims to serve as a conduit for the arts community to learn about the initiatives toward “One Vineyard – Stronger Together”, align themselves with existing programs and to be inspired to use their art forms as voices for change as we together begin to imagine what our island and community may look like in the future.

This was a continuation of an ongoing conversation, hosted by Pathways with Vineyard FutureWorks as a collaborator, as a zoom meeting. The community was invited to learn about “The Discovery Process” – a process designed by it’s founders, which articulates a framework for collaboration and staging action towards future goals, as individuals, as organizations, or groups.

Initiated and led by Dennis daRosa and Bob Johnston, the organization has since assisted in the formation of the Vineyard Roundtable – a group of Vineyard stewards with a proactive bias for action toward a preferred future for the island and island community; the introduction of Imagine Corps: a youth leadership and skills learning program; has assisted the Dukes County Commissioners on the 2020 Census Complete Count Task Force, working with a diverse group of Vineyarders to develop a new strategy for the complete count in the face of the Covid crisis, and participates in Climate Action Task Force meetings, MVC and Dukes County Commissioner meetings.

 Vineyard FutureWorks also introduced a multi-island event, the Third Annual Virtual Global Island Summit, to be held in September 2021 over a four day period. Pathways is looking forward to introducing the island’s arts community to the opportunity to learn from, connect with and share with approx. 500 islands across the globe – each having similar challenges and finding creative solutions.

SEE THE VIDEO OF THE PAST
PATHWAYS/FUTUREWORKS WEBINAR
“COLLABORATING TOWARDS A PREFERED VINEYARD FUTURE”
HELD ON Jan. 21st, 202, BELOW.

Vineyard FutureWorks began in 2018 as a series of “grassroots” meetings of diverse island leaders, across the six towns, concerned that important island issues were not being addressed urgently enough. Initiated and led by Dennis daRosa and Bob Johnston, the organization has since assisted in the formation of the Vineyard Roundtable – a group of Vineyard stewards with a proactive bias for action toward a preferred future for the island and island community; the introduction of Imagine Corps: a youth leadership and skills learning program; has assisted the Dukes County Commissioners on the 2020 Census Complete Count Task Force, working with a diverse group of Vineyarders to develop a new strategy for the complete count in the face of the Covid crisis, and participates in Climate Action Task Force meetings, MVC and Dukes County Commissioner meetings.

 

PANELISTS

Keren Tonnesen – Co-Director PathwaysARTS, Webinar Moderator
 
Phil Wallis – Economic Sustainability and Vitality, Funding and Finance
The question for every island is how best to create a thriving, sustainable economy without overstimulating consumptive demand that destroys the natural beauty and the essence of what draws people to an island community in the first place. How best can we create the funding capacity and financial incentives to create the blue, creative and healthy green economies that we all aspire to have here on Martha’s Vineyard? Phil will share and explore several ways and models for us to consider as the island moves along the sustainability continuum.

Dan Seidman – Environmental Stewardship: Blue – Green – Creative
Looking At The Past to Solve Current Problems related to energy and agriculture.
Analyzing prior solutions dating to antiquity and re-imagining them for the world today
Daniel J. Seidman has had a life long interest in the environment and energy. He is in the process of creating  the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Sustainability, MVIS, to help find innovative solutions to problems related to  people, island, and economic stability.
His day job is as a Registered Investment Advisor.
 
   Bob Johnston – Community Stewardship/ FutureWorks
“One Vineyard – Stronger Together” through collaborative innovation.
What does that mean? It means a Vineyard community aligned on a better future.

Tanya Augoustinos – Creative and Cultural Vibrancy
As an advocate for artists using their creative voices to address the myriad of social, gender, diversity and climate change challenges faced globally and locally, the platform realized by PathwaysARTS is uniquely positioned to emphasize the integrity of creative contributions toward positive change over commercial value.