Economic developers create group to support, promote arts initiatives

Several economic development groups in the Triad are partnering to push an effort to link the region's business and creative communities.

The Creativity & Design Interconnect is a project of the Center for Design Innovation, the Piedmont Triad Partnership, the Piedmont Triad Entrepreneurial Network and the Triad Ad Club.

The mission of C&D Interconnect is to support and promote arts initiatives of the kind that draw talented and creative people to the area and then help those people put their talents to use professionally, according to Ron Jones. He is CEO of the Greensboro-based Internet marketing firm Symetri and chairman of the Interconnect group.

"Our goal is to become the place where businesses look for creative partners and creative organizations look for business partners," Jones said.

C&D Interconnect, which formerly operated as PTEN's Creativity & Design Roundtable, worked with the Piedmont Triad Partnership's $15 million "Wired" regional economic development initiative on a creative enterprises and arts program. Jones said C&D Interconnect will launch a Web site later this month to support its efforts.