2025: A Year of Vision, Strategic Planning, Collaboration & Community Engagement

As we close out 2025, the Talent Business Alliance is filled with gratitude for this remarkable year! From hundreds gathering at the Talent Holiday Market over Thanksgiving weekend to launching new public art projects celebrating Talent's history, and strategic planning informed by community listening sessions and business focus groups, 2025 was a remarkable year of growth, planning, and community connection for the Talent Business Alliance!

Building Community Through Connection

This year, we celebrated the return and expansion of some beloved community traditions. After a year-long hiatus, the Talent Artisans & Growers Evening Markets came back, thanks to our partnership with Amanda Grove of the Golden Grove Collective, as well as the Talent Holiday Market, which returned over the Thanksgiving weekend, drawing hundreds of visitors and featuring 50 local vendors who showcased the incredible creativity and entrepreneurship of our region.

We also initiated a community effort to launch the Talent Art Walk, a quarterly celebration of local arts and artists, music, food, and wine held on the fourth Friday of January, April, July, and October. Stay tuned for the 2026 Art Walks and thank you to the community volunteers who are making these events happen!

Our Stories Through Art Takes Flight

The Our Stories Through Art (OSTA) initiative reached significant milestones in 2025. With generous support from the Oregon Community Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, and the Roundhouse Foundation, this coalition-led effort is transforming Talent through public art that honors our diverse histories and underrepresented voices.

This fall, Talent Maker City completed the re-sealing and restoration of the beloved Talent Strong Community Murals at the Gateway site. Created by over 300 community members following the 2020 Almeda Fire, these murals are now being stored by the city and will eventually be preserved in permanent metal sculptural frames for downtown display. OSTA also launched the Native Flora and Fauna Historical Museum Murals project and hosted two community engagement art events during the Art Walks, where residents decorated tote bags, contributed to collaborative art pieces, and tested their knowledge with local public art trivia.

The OSTA coalition, comprised of the Talent Business Alliance, the Talent Historical Society, Talent Maker City, Coalición Fortaleza, and the Talent's Public Arts Committee, continues to build toward a comprehensive interactive Art Tour that will celebrate Talent's rich history through public art. 

Envisioning the Future Together

In May, over 50 community members and business owners gathered at the Talent Community Center for a powerful forum to shape a vision for a business incubator in Talent. This proposed multi-use space envisions supporting food entrepreneurship, small business growth, community education, and local events. The energy and ideas shared that evening laid essential groundwork for the feasibility study ahead.

In August, artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from Talent and Phoenix joined us at Naumes Suncrest Winery for the Creative & Cultural District Visioning Workshop, facilitated by Liora Sponko from the Oregon Arts Commission. Together, we explored how arts and culture can drive economic vitality while creating inclusive spaces that can reflect the unique identities of both Talent and Phoenix.

A Strategic Vision for Destination Development

2025 marked a transformative milestone in regional collaboration with the completion of the Talent and Phoenix Destination Strategic Plan, executed by our RARE Americorps member, Cecelia Bagnoli. This comprehensive initiative brought together the Talent Business Alliance, the City of Talent, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and Travel Southern Oregon to envision a vibrant, sustainable future for both of our communities.

Through focus groups, community listening sessions, and collaborative workshops, we gathered input from artists, business owners, farmers, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and residents to create a roadmap that honors the individual identities of Talent and Phoenix while also celebrating our shared values. The plan establishes three strategic pillars: the development of Wine Country Biking Routes that connect scenic landscapes with local businesses, the creation of a Talent-Phoenix Arts & Cultural District that celebrates the creativity of our communities, and a coordinated approach to Destination Identity and Branding that positions both towns as complementary destinations within the Rogue Valley, and highlights existing assets.

This work has been about building economic resilience, celebrating what makes our communities special, and creating welcoming experiences for visitors and residents. We're excited to begin implementation in 2026 and grateful to everyone who contributed their vision and expertise to this important project.

Supporting Small Business Success

We remained committed to providing practical resources and education for local entrepreneurs. With support from Business Oregon, our 2025 technical assistance services included One-on-one support for website development, social media, marketing, and business fundamentals.

Our workshop series included:

• Social Media Marketing with Lanessa Pierce, covering everything from Instagram basics to advanced analytics and social media best practices. 

• Bookkeeping for Business with Maria Chunn from Mizzenmast Money & Mentoring, helping business owners gain confidence in their financial management.

• Business Workshops at Talent Maker City, including screen printing, glowforge laser engraver training, and CNC router training, empowering businesses to learn about these amazing tools and create custom branding and signage in-house. 

TBA also secured funding for additional staff capacity to expand services to Spanish-speaking clients starting in 2026!

Celebrating the Season with December Events

As we wrap up the year, we're thrilled to invite you to two exciting December celebrations this month!

Talent Maker City “Lights on Bikes” Event: Saturday, December 13, 2025

Talent's Annual Holiday bike ride is always a community favorite! Get your bike, add some lights, and ride the streets of Talent with friends and neighbors to enjoy festive holiday light displays. Neighborhoods compete for the famed Lights on Bikes Award for "Best Dressed" house, while riders deck out their bikes with battery-powered lights and holiday cheer. Free cookies, cocoa, and cider will be provided by Sweet Beet Station.

Want some inspiration? Head to Talent Maker City before the parade for the bike decorating workshop! Bring your bike and any decorations you'd like to add.

Schedule:

• 4 PM: Bike Decorating Workshop and Safety Checks!

• 6 PM: Lights on Bikes Parade starts at Talent Maker City!

December Community Cooking Classes

Join the Talent Business Alliance and friends for some festive cooking workshops at the Talent Community Center Kitchen, perfect for the holiday season:

Saturday, December 13

• Santa's Cookie Academy - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

• Holiday Desserts - 3:00 - 5:30 PM

Learn more and register here!

Grateful for Our Community Partners

Thank you to our dedicated Board Members: Kimber Parris, Marilu Medina, Awna Zegzdryn, Celines Garcia, and Cathy Dorris.

None of this would have been possible without our incredible 2025 Local Business Mixer host businesses who generously opened their doors to support ongoing networking: Trustwell Living at Suncrest Place, The Wine Room, Talent Maker City, Siskiyou Mountain Club, Morrtons Too, Naumes Suncrest Winery, Plectrum Music, the Talent Library, Hair Sanctuary, and Sweet Beet Station.

We are deeply grateful to our program sponsors whose support helps makes our work possible: Evergreen Bank, Atlas Heating & Air, Magnolia Homes, Dunagan Engineering, Talent Club, True South Solar, Biscuits and Vinyl, Rays Market, Canopy LLC, OnePeak Medical, Siskiyou Mountain Club, and Talented Space.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we move into the new year, we're excited to continue building on this momentum. The OSTA project enters its second year with new public art installations on the horizon. The Gateway Hub feasibility study will be completed soon, and we look forward to the findings from that work. The Destination planning work will be expanding to support Talent and Phoenix businesses through the implementation of the strategic plan we developed together this year. And we'll continue offering networking events, business educational workshops, and supporting community events and celebrations that strengthen our local business ecosystem.

Thank you to every business owner, artist, volunteer, sponsor, partner, and community member who contributed to making 2025 such an extraordinary year. Your creativity, generosity, and commitment to this community inspire us!

Here's to 2026, and may it bring continued growth, connection, and prosperity for Talent!

With gratitude and excitement for what's ahead, 

Talent Business Alliance