Monterey County’s first-ever arts and culture plan debuts Sept. 14.

The ripple of a new idea can create a sea of change. Decades ago, John Naisbitt’s Megatrends took a deep look at business and social systems worldwide in a simple, evocative book that had a tsunami of impact on government policies, corporate boardrooms and management schools. Its influence surged all the way down to the water-cooler middle managers who talked about the Japanese business model and a “high tech, high touch” marketing approach.

Such a new wave of thinking is behind “Creative Monterey County: An Action Plan,” the county’s first-ever arts and culture plan, which will be launched Friday, Sept. 14.

Based on international data and local research, the plan is the outcome of months of discussion and analysis by almost 100 representatives from all sectors of the community. The Arts Council for Monterey County and the Community Foundation for Monterey County led the process, which was funded by the James Irvine Foundation.

The plan recognizes that this county, more than most, has a wealth of individual artists, arts organizations and institutions. This abundance creates a stimulating environment and an undisputed enhancement to our quality of life: Artists and arts institutions are good for their own sake.

It also looks at this rich artistic resource as part of what worldwide economists, policymakers and academicians are recognizing as the fastest-growing sector of the world economy, the “creative economy.” In this newly-defined environment, the arts are important for a whole new set of reasons.