Creative industries in Washtenaw County add hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy. In the weeks and months to come, host Deb Polich, the President and CEO of Creative Washtenaw, explores the myriad of contributors that make up the creative sector in Washtenaw County.
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: This is 89 one WEMU, and welcome to this week's edition of creative:impact. I'm David Fair, filling in as host this week, and I'm quite sure you're going to recognize our special guest. creative:impact is a weekly conversation series designed to bring you members of Washtenaw County's vast community of those who have and are making their marks on the arts and creative industries. The host and driving force behind creative:impact is Deb Polich. Well, yesterday, a formal announcement was made that, after 38 years of bolstering and enhancing the local creative industries, she's going to be retiring in December from her post as president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw. So, your special guest today is your host of creative:impact, Deb Polich. Welcome to your own show, Deb! And congratulations on your impending retirement!
Deb Polich: Well, thank you, David! It feels a little funny being on this side of the show. But I appreciate you wanting to cover this and having this conversation.
David Fair: Well, you know, yesterday, I had your husband on the air, Russ Collins, the CEO and executive director of Marquee Arts and co-host of Cinema Chat, and he announced his retirement. I don't think there's any coincidence that the announcement was made on the same day.
Deb Polich: I'm just trying to figure out who you're going to interview tomorrow that's retiring.
David Fair: It may be me!
Deb Polich: You never know. You never know. Yeah. You know, Russ and I have had the great pleasure of serving this community in the way that we've had and to have careers in the arts and creative industries in a community like Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor has been remarkable. And we've been really, really fortunate. But we have some plans for our future. And the dedication, the mission, the passion of the work that we do has been marvelous. But it's time for others to take those seeds that have been planted and move forward.
David Fair: Well, you know, like all superheroes, Deb, there's an origin story to be told. At what point in your childhood or growth through your educational experience did you decide on a career in the creative industries?
Deb Polich: Well, I don't know about starting or deciding a career, but I found the arts in elementary school. I went to public school in Detroit, and we had marvelous courses as second grader or third graders--you know, art and music and performing arts. And that prompted my passion and my interest in it. And I just loved it. It gave me a view of the world that I didn't have in my home. And it helped me start to understand that the four walls that you live in is not necessarily the world. And the arts gave me a different perspective, and I value that to this very day.
David Fair: I'm going to take it back to 1986. You began your professional career at the Michigan Theater, where you stayed until 1993. Then, you moved on to lead Artrain. And in 1999, you helped form the countywide Arts Alliance. And in 2002, you helped form what is now known as Creative Washtenaw, the organization where you currently serve as president and CEO. What has been the commonality in those varied positions?
Deb Polich: You know, I think the belief that the arts and creativity can inform the world and is critical to our human beings has been part of it. I will also say that being in a field that is either taken for granted or perhaps overlooked. My kids always say that I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility. I think they might be right about that.
David Fair: Right.
Deb Polich: And to understand that, if you if you expect somebody else to do it, it doesn't get done. So, if you're really passionate about something, you got to step up and do it yourself, along with other people that believe in what you believe.
David Fair: This is 89 one WEMU, and you are listening to a special edition of creative:impact. I'm David Fair, serving as your one-week host. And we are talking with your regular host, Deb Polich. Deb is retiring from Creative Washtenaw in December, and the announcement was made yesterday. Deb, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out how well-received your work has been through the years. You've received a National Medal for Museum Services, been honored with the National Park Service Directors Partnership Award and EMU Outstanding Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Outstanding Board Member, and that's just to name a very few. As such, you could have taken your skill set and expertise anywhere you wanted. Yet, you chose to stay and work in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County for the better part of four decades. What is it about this community that kept you here?
Deb Polich: Well, first and foremost, family and raising our children here and now. They all live here, as Russ mentioned yesterday. But I think the other part is that this is a community that values arts and culture, and it's a great place to raise a family and children and to try to make a difference. So, we've been really fortunate, as I said before, to be in a community that values the arts and to be able to both have careers of the quality that we've enjoyed. So, plus, besides that, honestly, Russ Collins was never leaving Ann Arbor.
David Fair: I know that your retirement announcement is just a day old now, and you still have work to do before you finally step away in December. But in this moment, as you reflect on all the work we've discussed, where exactly have you flashed in your memories?
Deb Polich: Well, you know, the memories...gosh, I have to tell you that I'm looking more forward than I am behind. You know, I think behind is going to come later, but there are still things that have to be done. I'm still very interested in making sure that Creative Washtenaw is stable and financially able to go forward to continue the work that it's been doing. And so, there's about six months of getting that in order. So, I feel good about walking away with the support of the board and the team and the community. So, it's really, honestly, wrapping stuff up, maybe put a little bow on the top of it, but looking forward more so than behind.
David Fair: Well, nonetheless, I'm going to ask this question anyway. As you have spent about, what, 90 seconds now reflecting, what are you most proud of in 38 years of commitment to creative people in industries?
Deb Polich: Oh my gosh, David! That's like picking your favorite kid, you know? It's hard to do. I can't really think of any one thing. You know, I'm a person that moves forward. And when I sit down and go, "Oh wow! National Medal of the Arts was--sorry, National Medal for Museum Service--was a moment to savor forever. So, that comes to top of mind. But I think it's more about the people and the kids that have been influenced by and turned on to the arts and creative world that become part of their lives. I think that's really it. It's that legacy of people that have been connected.
David Fair: Well, we're talking with the soon-to-be retired president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw. I'm David Fair, and Deb Polich made her formal announcement yesterday. So, we've switched things up on her. And instead of being the host of creative:impact on this Tuesday on WEMU, she's the special guest. Now, Deb, I will now allow you to kind of look forward. As you prepare to step away, we know there are challenges that your successor at Creative Washtenaw will have to take on. Philanthropy has changed, and that's one of them. What do you see is the biggest among them?
Deb Polich: Well, philanthropy has changed a lot. And service organizations like Creative Washtenaw that are out there working on behalf of artists and creatives have a very, very difficult challenge, because people give to the arts mostly because they get a benefit, whether it's in an auditorium or going to performances or whatnot. So, how do we sustain what with this kind of a program and this kind of a service, going forward? And the model is changing. We are still and will constantly look at public support as an opportunity to move forward. And Washtenaw County is one that, unlike other counties in our state, still and yet do not have public funding for the arts and the creative sector. And so, that is definitely still on my list. And frankly, although I'm going to step away from the day-to-day operations, I do not believe that I will be able to walk away from the arts and culture at all. It is a calling of sorts that I won't be able to let go of.
David Fair: Yeah. If I were to venture a guess, the names of Russ Collins and Deb Polich will be around in the community for a long time to come and very visible at that. What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
Deb Polich: You know, I'm looking forward to a break. It's been, since COVID, honestly, I feel like we've just been pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing to try to make sure that the sector remains stable or gets back to stable, I should say. And I keep saying I don't know if I need to retire or if I just need a four-month sabbatical. I'm going to take about a four-month break. So we'll see how that goes.
David Fair: Well, you know, coming to a decision on retirement takes some time and some planning. So, it is certainly not new to your thought process. But now, it's been said out loud. How does that feel?
Deb Polich: Actually, and I'm going to get this waiver, I'm emotional. It's a big change. And even every transition that we go through in life, even if it's a good transition, also means letting go of something else. And I have a hard time seeing myself not doing that day-to-day work, not trying to be overly responsible, but it's a change that's necessary. And I look forward to having the time to enjoy family, friends, travel and the things that bring joy to life--things that I didn't do as a youngster. So, you know, maybe flipping it upside down, but doing it now in our older age.
David Fair: Deb, on behalf of a grateful community and from your colleagues across the arts community and here at WEMU, we thank you for all of your works and for the difference you've made. Your mark is unquestionably indelible, and your impact is truly been creative. It's not quite time yet, but we all wish you health, happiness, and safe and fruitful travels in your upcoming retirement. Thank you for making time and being the guest on your own program today, Deb!
Deb Polich: Well, thank you, David, for the opportunity to do creative:impact! And as you know, I haven't quite decided if I'm going to continue that or not, but it's been a great pleasure! And you've been a mentor in that area! And I appreciate you and WEMU!
David Fair: Deb Polich, the regular host of creative:impact--she'll return to that role next Tuesday with her trusty producer, Mat Hopson, at the helm, as he is today. I'm David Fair, guest host of creative:impact for the day, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU FM, Ypsilanti.
If you'd like to a guest on creative:impact, email Deb Polich at deb.polich@creativewashtenaw.org.
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