Creating-Connection-Message-Guide - Communication Message Framework

Aug 27, 2026

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Creating Connection Message Guide provides a structured framework for communicating about arts and culture so they become recognized, valued, and expected in everyday life. It centers on “creative expression” to reach diverse communities, including people of color, parents of young children, people under 40, and women. The guide explains a narrative message, core connection benefits, growth, voice, well-being, happiness, and tailored calls to action to help organizations motivate and engage their constituencies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time17 min

AccessFree to download

Using this message guide

Primary Messaging

Narrative framework

Growth, Voice, Well-being, Happiness

Calls to Action

Message Guide A resource to support effective communication in making creative expression a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday lives [CreatingConnection.org](CreatingConnection.org) 1 Introduction An overview of this document and how it can be used to create or customize messaging to promote arts and culture as a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life. 2 Primary Messaging The core messaging intended to serve as the inspiration for communication to reach and engage diverse constituencies. 3 Narrative The primary message framework in narrative form. Arts Midwest and Metropolitan Group © 2016 4 Growth Suggested language articulating how creative expression contributes to our growth and development. 5 Voice Suggested language articulating how creative expression helps people find and share their voice and celebrate the creative expression of others. 6 Well-being Suggested language articulating how creative expression promotes our health and well-being at all ages. 7 Happiness Suggested language articulating how creative expression contributes to our happiness. 8 Calls to Action Ideas to inspire the development of tailored calls to action. Contents Using this message guide The goal of the Creating Connection initiative is to make arts and culture a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life. This messaging guide is intended to provide a framework for communicating about arts and culture in ways that are engaging to broad and diverse people, and to provide suggestions for how to customize messages and create calls to action that motivate your constituencies. The message framework articulated here has been informed by a significant body of research showing that most people value arts and culture experiences for the opportunities they provide to connect—with people close to them, with their communities and the world around them, and with themselves. Our research also suggests that for most people, framing messages in terms of “creative expression” is a more welcoming introduction to a conversation than framing messages in terms of “arts and culture.”Thus, while our goal remains focused on making arts and culture a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life, our messaging for these new constituencies is framed in terms of creative expression. For detailed background on the research that informed this message guide, please download our report at [CreatingConnection.org](CreatingConnection.org) This guide includes language that our research suggests will be effective in engaging people of color, parents of young children, people under 40 years of age, and women. It also includes stories and examples that illustrate the four key benefits these audiences derive from creative expression, as well as questions to help you identify stories and examples from your own work. This guide also provides suggested calls to action for engaging this broad and diverse constituency, and questions to help you create your own calls to action. It is also important to note that while messaging articulating the impact of arts and culture on economic or community vitality might not be motivating to the constituencies referenced above, such messaging might continue to be relevant for other constituencies (e.g. , funders, policymakers, etc.) . Thus, the messaging recommended here is not intended as a replacement in those instances. Introduction Arts Midwest and Metropolitan Group © 2016 1 This page captures the primary message framework to guide the development of communication tools and resources to engage a broader and more diverse set of audiences and stakeholders. This framework includes the core message that should be a key takeaway from all messaging, benefit statements, and calls to action. Additional narrative to support these benefits and calls to action can be found on the pages to follow. | Core | Sharing creative experiences and

FAQs

What is the goal of the Creating Connection initiative described in the guide?

The guide aims to make arts and culture a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life. It focuses on improving how organizations communicate to engage broad, diverse audiences.

Why does the guide emphasize “creative expression” instead of “arts and culture”?

Research cited in the guide suggests framing conversations in terms of “creative expression” is more welcoming for many people. The goal remains arts and culture as everyday expectations, but the messaging uses creative expression to draw people in.

What benefits does the guide associate with creative expression?

Creative expression is presented as supporting personal growth and fulfillment, enabling people to find and share their voice, promoting health and well-being, and contributing to happiness.

Aug 27, 2026

Upload by Paura