​Focus groups of regional experts gathered in the Fall of 2019 to develop and then prioritize a list of actionable projects where the Calumet National Heritage Area (CNHA) could best be leveraged to make a difference in the region. The starting point for this conversation was the set of regional goals articulated for each content area after the extensive community engagement process undertaken for the CNHA Feasibility Study. Focus Group members also had access to a systematic review of regional plans as well as case examples from other NHAs around the country. Thirteen focus group meetings, with approximately 85 participants in total, were held to address each of the identified regional goals.

Members from all the focus groups then met for a cumulative focus group in December, 2019. There, they reviewed the prioritized lists of projects in order to keep a special eye on synergies, overlaps, and opportunities for further discussion. The result was a compelling set of projects aimed at strengthening partnerships, forging new ways of working across the region, enriching capacity for community efforts, regional identity and connectivity, and shining a national spotlight on local stories. The resulting draft Management Plan chapters are set to be available for review in April 2020.

Understanding what the Calumet means to those that live and work in the region and hold the Calumet close to their hearts was key to creating an identity and brand for the Heritage Area. From a stakeholder list of over 300, more than 165 people participated in over 20 meetings, focus groups, individual interviews and online surveys during the course of this eight-month project. The messaging, aesthetic, and final design of the Calumet Heritage Area brand was shaped by the residents, business owners, municipalities, community organizations, local tourism bureaus, and historical societies who participated from across the region. 

​“The process for developing a brand for the Calumet Heritage Area has been incredibly rewarding,” explains Rachael Smith, Community Branding Manager at The Lakota Group. “At every stage, the passionate group of volunteers guiding the process brought our team’s ideas to life. We’re so pleased with the final brand and how it speaks to folks who know and love this region.”

Immediate Release: June 11th, 2019
Calumet Region, IL/IN – The Calumet Heritage Area Program and Events Calendar has been launched on calumetheritagearea.org/calendar. This interactive resource is a one-stop shop for events happening in the Calumet that relate to the Heritage Area’s themes of nature, industry, and culture. Calumet Heritage Partnership and Calumet Collaborative are partnering with Field Museum to elevate the rich stories of heritage and promote the natural, industrial, and cultural assets of the Calumet Region, and this calendar will raise awareness of the programs and events that bring these stories to life.
 
The number of program and events already listed in the calendar shows how the region is already resembling a heritage area. The Calumet Heritage Area’s next step is to connect these events and programs throughout the heritage area with cohesive branding, signage, heritage trails, and educational materials.
 
“One of the greatest benefits of having a regional scale, bi-state heritage area is that it can help connect people across boundaries. For many years the Calumet Heritage Partnership has been doing that by hosting our annual conference and other events that bring people together from around the region around cultural and natural heritage” says Mike Longan, President of the Calumet Heritage Partnership and co-chair of the Calumet National Heritage Area Coordinating Committee. “That said, one of the most persistent problems we’ve heard about is the difficulty of finding out about and coordinating events at a regional scale.”
 
The calendar aims to bring more visibility to the region’s programs and events, aiming to increase event attendance and visitation throughout the region. “People know about what is happening in their neighborhood, city, or county but it is more difficult to learn about events happening further afield,” Longan explains. “In addition to a directory of museums, galleries, local history centers guide we are working on, we identified an easy to maintain and use regional events calendar as one of the first projects that the Calumet Heritage Area could accomplish. We think it will be rather eye opening for residents who may not be aware of all of the activity in the region and we hope that it will help visitors to learn about events that they may not have otherwise had an easy way to find out about.”
 
“One of the coolest features of this calendar is that partner organizations can share it on their websites as well, and it updates automatically as events are submitted. It’s an incredible collaborative and interactive tool that we’re excited to see put to use,” explains Sarah Coulter, Executive Director of Calumet Collaborative and co-chair of the Calumet National Heritage Area Coordinating Committee. “Plus, all organizations throughout the Calumet can submit their own events - it solves a long-standing problem of individuals trying to maintain a region-wide resource. Our vision is that as this calendar catches on, it will take on a life of its own and highlight the incredible things that happen in the Calumet region, bringing pride of place to residents and surprising the visitors of the heritage area.”

The Calumet Heritage Area is a place of nationally significant natural, industrial, labor, and cultural heritage assets, that are preserved and interpreted to advance economic opportunity, and enrich the lives of its residents and visitors from across the nation. For more information on this initiative, please reach out to Tess Conway at tess@calumetcollaborative.org
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The Calumet Heritage Partnership is a diverse, bi-state partnership of environmental, cultural and historical organizations and individuals, libraries, educational institutions, municipalities, and governmental agencies. For questions about Calumet Heritage Partnership, please contact calumetheritage@calumetheritage.org
 
Calumet Collaborative catalyzes innovative partnerships between Illinois and Indiana community, government, business and nonprofit stakeholders to advance a thriving Calumet region through sustainable development. For more information on Calumet Collaborative, please contact Tess Conway at tess@calumetcollaborative.org.
 
National heritage areas are lived-in landscapes that tell nationally significant stories and celebrate the United States’ diverse heritage. The Calumet region is nationally significant and that is why an effort is underway ​to achieve designation from Congress as a National Heritage Area. For more information on the National Heritage Area program, please visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritageareas/index.htm