Letter from the Creative West Board Chair and President & CEO
Welcome Friends,
For the Western States Arts Federation—WESTAF— reaching our fiftieth year was a milestone as well as a symbol of transformation. What began in 1974 as a small coalition of interior western states united by a mission to “extend and strengthen the arts in the West,” has evolved into a bold, future-facing organization serving a vast region that stretches from the Great Plains to the Pacific Islands, and from the Arctic Coast to the Desert Southwest.
In 2024, we stepped into our next chapter with a
renewed name and an expanded vision: Creative West.
More than a rebrand, Creative West is a
recommitment. It reflects the extraordinary journey
we’ve taken across time, terrain, and change, and it
signals a dynamic adaptive shift in how we see our
role in the world. As we looked back on fifty years of
funding, advocacy, public policy, and technological innovation, we also look forward to what’s next: deeper collaborations throughout our sector, and a more inclusive creative ecosystem for artists, culture bearers, practitioners, presenters, and organizers.
Our journey is grounded in an understanding that we have in our past contributed to legacy systems that have historically excluded or underserved people of color, the disability community, rural and remote populations, and others. We carry forward our commitment to equity, accessibility, and social justice as foundational principles of Creative West.
This transformation reflects not only who we are, but who we are becoming. It speaks to a vision that is collaborative, imaginative, and justice-oriented. Across the West and beyond, we strive to build coalitions, cultivate networks, and amplify the arts as a vital force for belonging, resilience, and shared prosperity.
If we value human life, then we must also value what makes life meaningful—and art is an essential part of that equation.”
– Bassem Bejjani, Chair, Creative West
In 2024, we deepened our investment in trust-based, liberatory funding through the BIPOC Artist Fund, Cultural Sustainability, the national Leaders of Color Fellowship Program, and the State Arts Agency Innovation Fund, among other programs. Longstanding programs like TourWest, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, are evolving to meet the changing needs of artists and presenters. Our work on ArtsHERE—a bold, national funding initiative presented in partnership with the USRAO Collective—demonstrates our commitment to collaborative, values-driven progress.
Our technology platforms, now in their third decade, serve hundreds of thousands of users each year. These tools support creative livelihoods and power the digital infrastructure that fuels our regional work and global reach, as we reimagine how thesel tools can deepen connection, creativity, and impact.
This milestone year has also brought new voices into our circle—new leaders, artists, presenters, and cultural workers whose insight and passion are helping shape the next phase of our work. We are guided and energized by their brilliance.
To the Board of Trustees—whose vision and oversight have laid the foundation for Creative West—and to a brilliant and curious staff, who bring this work to life every day: thank you. We are honored to be part of this extraordinary community of creative problem solvers. Collectively, you value what makes life meaningful.
Sincerely,
Bassem Bejjani
Chair, Board of Trustees
Vice President, CARAVAN
&
Christian Gaines
President & CEO, Creative West