Beacon, like most river towns up and down the Hudson, is reinventing itself. The days of big industry, of the Hudson as an artery of commerce, are long gone. So too, though, are the days of abject depression and population flight. Along the Hudson today, there is a newfound optimism and a sense of civic pride. And it is boldness and creativity that are shaping the new economic landscape. Warehouses are being repurposed as microbreweries, sensational food is being coaxed out of our land, and our Main Streets, once desolate and deserted, are back, busy, bustling.
While the positive impact of cultural institutions is pretty much conventional wisdom at this point, this larger creative economy is less understood. For the most part, policies and budget decisions and economic development initiatives aren’t considering them.
The old model of economic development is dead. Long live the New Economy!
What can we do to foster this brilliant creativity? How can we reward bold ideas? What can we do to attract and nurture businesses that don’t just employ, but also enrich? How can we inspire others to join us?
TEDxLongDock will gather great minds from the Hudson Valley and the country to inspire our thinking, channel our ambition, and help unleash the potential of our bold new creativity.
199 Dennings Avenue
Dennings Point State Park
Beacon, New York, 12508
United States
Organizing team
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Matt Perks
Co-Organizer -
Rob Penner
Co-Organizer -
Doreen Johnson
Steering Group -
Brendan Cunningham
Steering Group