“A grassroots, community-based organization whose mission is to connect people, arts and nature.”
Nestled at the foot of Delridge in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, Nature Consortium is growing. This unique non-profit encompasses many subjects – art, underserved communities, the environment – but what ties them all together is a commitment to creativity and organization. What began as one woman’s good idea has become a well-watered machine with a strong social media presence.Nature Consortium can be divided into three different branches, starting with their Forest Restoration project. This ambitious endeavor is devoted to preserving Seattle’s largest forest, the five hundred acre greenbelt running along the Duwamish River. On any given day work parties made up of school groups, company outings, or simply passionate individuals can be found clearing out blackberries, weeds and invasive species or working to reintroduce native plants.
Although the scope of the project may seem overwhelming (the organization admits to being committed for the life of the forest!), working with other like-minded organizations helps to share the altruistic burden. Nature Consortium has partnered in various ways with organizations including, but not limited to, Earth Corps, the Green Seattle Partnership and People for Puget Sound. Volunteers are always welcome, especially during Earth Day’s National Volunteer Day fast approaching on April 17th. Interested parties can follow news and progress on the restoration effort through their blog at http://restoration.naturec.org and find information about getting involved here or by emailing volunteer@naturec.org.
Although the scope of the project may seem overwhelming (the organization admits to being committed for the life of the forest!), working with other like-minded organizations helps to share the altruistic burden. Nature Consortium has partnered in various ways with organizations including, but not limited to, Earth Corps, the Green Seattle Partnership and People for Puget Sound. Volunteers are always welcome, especially during Earth Day’s National Volunteer Day fast approaching on April 17th. Interested parties can follow news and progress on the restoration effort through their blog at http://restoration.naturec.org and find information about getting involved here or by emailing volunteer@naturec.org.
The second program Nature Consortium runs is focused on training future environmentally friendly generations through their Youth Arts Program. This consists of free classes held at neighborhood community centers and libraries, each run by paid professional artists in various mediums who use art to focus on environmental topics. These projects could include traditional visual arts, drum circles, poetry or “art you can eat” with the focus on creativity and incorporating nature as a part of daily consciousness. This program targets kids and teens in lower-income neighborhoods, with site coordinators organizing classes around the city, including at Youngstown’s own after school program.
Finally, the third event run by Nature Consortium is the founding project that started it all, the annual Arts in Nature Festival. Artists and community members have enjoyed this gathering at West Seattle’s Camp Long where art and nature come together for over a decade. Individual artists transform cabins into art and sound installations while performers wander the grounds in a celebration that insists, “Everyone has an art.” This event is open to the public, held in August, and you can follow information as it becomes available here.
With so many important messages to share, Nature Consortium has embraced social media as a means to spread information and connect a vast community of followers. They maintain a solid presence on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and You Tube in addition to the Forest Restoration blog and the organization’s website itself. Maintenance of these accounts, excluding the restoration blog, falls into the hands of Outreach Specialist Monica Thomas.
Keeping all of these accounts current does take time, but they each serve very different purposes for different audiences. Monica notes that Facebook has proven valuable for connecting with fans directly on a personal level while Twitter has been a more effective tool to talk to other organizations. She has also noticed that MySpace remains a popular avenue to reach younger audiences, recalling being contacted via MySpace’s instant messaging program by a youth interested in one of their art programs later on that day.
Nature Consortium recognizes the importance social media as an ongoing tool for outreach. After experiencing an initial rush of excitement upon implementation over a year ago, growth of fans and interaction has naturally leveled off. Monica currently devotes the majority of her outreach time to social media, although she admits that it will soon to be supplemented by maintaining a presence at the various festivals and events that crowd Seattle’s summer social calendar. The organization has enlisted the help of social media consultants for tips on analyzing the effectiveness and frequency of posts and is examining a strategy going forward to engage fans and maintain momentum surrounding their many exciting projects.
Nature Consortium has harnessed the power of online tools to connect directly with the community they serve. For information on supporting Nature Consortium and their ongoing commitment to community, arts and the environment, click here.
Nature Consortium
(located in Youngstown Cultural Arts Center)
4408 Delridge Way SW Suite #107
Seattle, WA 98106
206-923-0853
www.naturec.org
Blog: http://restoration.naturec.org/
Facebook: Nature Consortium
Twitter: @NatureC
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thenaturec
You Tube: Thorn to be Wild
Finally, the third event run by Nature Consortium is the founding project that started it all, the annual Arts in Nature Festival. Artists and community members have enjoyed this gathering at West Seattle’s Camp Long where art and nature come together for over a decade. Individual artists transform cabins into art and sound installations while performers wander the grounds in a celebration that insists, “Everyone has an art.” This event is open to the public, held in August, and you can follow information as it becomes available here.
With so many important messages to share, Nature Consortium has embraced social media as a means to spread information and connect a vast community of followers. They maintain a solid presence on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and You Tube in addition to the Forest Restoration blog and the organization’s website itself. Maintenance of these accounts, excluding the restoration blog, falls into the hands of Outreach Specialist Monica Thomas.Keeping all of these accounts current does take time, but they each serve very different purposes for different audiences. Monica notes that Facebook has proven valuable for connecting with fans directly on a personal level while Twitter has been a more effective tool to talk to other organizations. She has also noticed that MySpace remains a popular avenue to reach younger audiences, recalling being contacted via MySpace’s instant messaging program by a youth interested in one of their art programs later on that day.
Nature Consortium recognizes the importance social media as an ongoing tool for outreach. After experiencing an initial rush of excitement upon implementation over a year ago, growth of fans and interaction has naturally leveled off. Monica currently devotes the majority of her outreach time to social media, although she admits that it will soon to be supplemented by maintaining a presence at the various festivals and events that crowd Seattle’s summer social calendar. The organization has enlisted the help of social media consultants for tips on analyzing the effectiveness and frequency of posts and is examining a strategy going forward to engage fans and maintain momentum surrounding their many exciting projects.
Nature Consortium has harnessed the power of online tools to connect directly with the community they serve. For information on supporting Nature Consortium and their ongoing commitment to community, arts and the environment, click here.
Nature Consortium
(located in Youngstown Cultural Arts Center)
4408 Delridge Way SW Suite #107
Seattle, WA 98106
206-923-0853
www.naturec.org
Blog: http://restoration.naturec.org/
Facebook: Nature Consortium
Twitter: @NatureC
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thenaturec
You Tube: Thorn to be Wild
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