ENID, OK – The Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) announced the suspension of the 2025 Oklahoma Arts Conference, which was originally scheduled for October 22-24 at the Stride Bank Center in downtown Enid.
In a press release, the OAC offered the following statement about its decision.
In light of uncertainty in the state and federal arts funding landscape, the Oklahoma Arts Council has made the difficult decision to suspend the 2025 Oklahoma Arts Conference, which was scheduled to take place in Enid this fall. We recognize the immeasurable and irreplaceable value of the conference. No other professional development event brings together the hundreds of nonprofit administrators, artists, business and community leaders, educators, and others who power our state's creative sector. However, because planning for the conference begins months ahead of the event, our responsibility as stewards of public funds requires that we exercise diligence in our commitments for the coming fiscal year. With the enormous success of the conference since its launch in 2007, our agency remains fully committed to offering it again at the right time. There are countless stories of new ideas and partnerships forged during the three-day convening that are currently benefiting communities and schools across our state. We look forward to once again making this possible in Oklahoma and in Enid, as our next host community.
The OAC has been working since October, 2024 with Visit Enid, the city’s official Destination Marketing Organization, on planning this year’s conference.
“While we’re disappointed, we’re not totally surprised by this announcement. This is a difficult time for Arts and Humanities organizations nationwide,” Visit Enid director Rob Houston said. “We stand in total support of the Oklahoma Arts Council and know how agonizing the decision must have been to suspend the Arts Conference. We will continue our contact with OAC staff on how Enid can assist with future OAC programming.”
The Oklahoma Arts Council organizes the biennial statewide Oklahoma Arts Conference to bring together the state's arts and creative industry for professional development and networking opportunities. The conference usually takes place every two years, serving hundreds of arts administrators, artists, community developers, educators, students, volunteers, and others involved in the arts and cultural sector in Oklahoma. Potential and likely budget cuts, however, have forced this year’s Arts Conference to be placed on hold.
Due to the suspension, Houston says Enid, its restaurants and retail locations will not see the just over $300,000 in economic impact and 700 hotel rooms Visit Enid had projected. At least not this October.
“We will be ready to play host to the Arts Conference whenever the Arts Council deems it’s the right time,” Houston said.
