Tom Tresser is a Chicago-based educator, producer and consultant who can help you leverage creativity for economic development and social change.

1. “ How Do the Arts Build Communities?” Part 1 [email_address] www.tresser.com

2. Tom’s background… ACTOR INTERNET MARKETER COMMUNITY DEVELOPER PRODUCER EDUCATOR “The Artist As Activist” – Loyola Theatre Department EXEC ED DESIGNER/ FACILITATOR

3. Recent Consulting/Training Projects The Moose Jaw Expedition 2007

4. Other Classes… DePaul Political Science Department “ The Politics of Creativity” DePaul Peace & Social Justice Program “ Nonprofits & Social Change” The School of the Art Institute of Chicago “ The Art of Crossing the Street – the Artist as Citizen” DePaul School for New Learning “ Who’s Lying To You Now?” (media literacy & critical thinking) Loyola Theater Department DePaul Art Department “ The Artist as Activist”

10. Primary service area CHICAGO BORDER “ NORTH OF HOWARD” COMMUNITY

11. Primary service area 1990 demographics of Census Tract 101 – North of Howard neighborhood Median household income was $18,617 (just 60% of Chicago median) 27.1% 23.5% 48.4% 6,309 Latino White African-American Total

14. Peoples Housing’s development projects totaled over $22,000,000! Primary services

15. The Howard Theater Located on Howard Street, in heart of our neighborhood

16. The Howard Theater BUILT IN 1918 – CLOSED FOR 20 YEARS!

17. The Howard Theater Mass transit elevated station and bus terminal Storefront businesses Theater unsafe and closed off Facing Howard Street Lobby was sound, heated, 4,000 sq. ft.

18. The Howard Theater We took a grassroots, creative and fun approach to building awareness, attracting talent and getting stuff…

19. The Howard Theater How to get chairs to fill up the newly opened Howard Theater Lobby Space? OVER 100 CHAIRS DONATED IN ONE DAY!

20. We followed the “Community Capacity” model of community development articulated by Dr. John Kretzmann & Dr. John McKnight of Northwestern University. http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/abcd

22. SAMPLE COMMUNITY ASSET MAP From: “A Community Building Workbook,” 2005, Northwestern ABCD

25. [email_address] www.tresser.com Creativity is America's most precious natural resource. It's renewable, unlimited and universally available. Creativity is our heritage, our promise and the source of our prosperity. And, like a natural resource, creativity needs to be respected, conserved, stewarded and celebrated. But, like a natural resource, creativity can be polluted, squandered and blocked. Tom Tresser is a consultant, producer, educator and trainer who can help individuals, companies and communities leverage and amplify their creative assets in order to solve problems, create economic value and trigger civic engagement.