OFBD Forum April 2004 ~ Arts, Culture, Recreation Comments

Citizen input via survey:

• Arts, culture are linked to the economy.
• A sense of place and history of KEYS small parks with historical stations.  Publicity increases and strategy networking.  Be pro-active.
• Need to expand this vision to include the notion that arts and culture are essential to a vital economy as well as quality of life.  Also need to work to realize the potential for building the creative economy in this region (arts, culture, technology, innovative).
• Keep the arts lively and an essential part of the community and education.  
• Attracting artists and retaining; affordable housing/galleries/studios; leadership to accomplish this
• Network – broader than KEYS, including NH.
• Economic impact of the arts:  the “creative economy”; performance space, regional arts council, support for cultural organizations.
• Provide opportunities to artists for work space, promotional opportunities, collaborations and enhance their abilities to achieve success.
• Affordable studio space.
• Encourage deeper understanding of the arts development through education of the importance of the arts to Maine & tourism $ and to overall culture within out state.
• Available to all, more performing and cultural opportunities for all ages.
• Increasing opportunities for: exhibitions of local artists, art classes and workshops, art history classes
• Introduce earth based spirituality as an influence.
• Promotional for more art colleges
• My interest being an appreciation of history, a coordination of historical societies, events, education programs
• Make the arts a viable profession so artists can make a living
• Affordable housing and work space
• More community events

Arts, Culture, Recreation Table Notes 9/29/05

Citizen comments as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations, in response to this vision/goals statement:

Arts, Culture, and Recreation Vision: We envision a regional community where people have, use, and support abundant opportunities to recreate themselves through the arts, cultural, and recreational activities.

Goals to move us toward that vision:

a. A KEYS regional Arts & Culture Council and Network is established and active.

b. A KEYS creative/re-creative center for arts and culture is built, beautiful, accessible, and well used.

c. A KEYS region arts and culture website, listserve, eNewsletter, and updated directory are established and well used.

d. A KEYS region arts & culture map and events listing is created, maintained, and used.

e. A KEYS region recreation council, center, website, directory, and map are created and used.

Table Notes (lines separate clusters of notes):

· Goals are right on!

· council important for growth/planning.

· Don’t drive artists out with high costs!

· Advertising/PR/marketing strategy essential – consistent and constant

· People need to be given enough notice about events. Papers don’t cover our area.

· Great goals.

· Website important

· Finding info on whole region is difficult.

· Newspapers don’t cover our area.

· Different organizations don’t talk to each other, know who others are.

· Hard to find out what’s going on in KEYS area. No focal group or central point.

· Schools are main way to find out.

· Frustration/dismay at high cost of living and level of unaffordable housing

· Focus on recreation – Missouri Greenways a good example (ride bikes, walk, rather than drive car)

· Europe a good example too

· Eastern Trail Alliance

· BLOG for website – keysregion.org and arts/culture/recreation site

· Mailing list of events every week or month.

· Regional focus very important – we’re so isolated now

· Studio focus

· Arts/Culture/Rec essential for community growth

· Get York Weekly involved – there’s an interest in publishing regional events

· Get good funding!

· Get out of Catch 22

· youth connection important – some of the most creative people – how do we create support for them?

· Make York High School Performing Arts Center regional? Easier to raise money if regional focus.

· Council should include young people. Think of both physical and virtual components

· Problem: not enough corporate benefactors in KEYS region

· Use Salmon Falls Mills as example of how to attract attention/support

· Desperate need for Cultural Calendar

· Central location/website for all events in towns.

· Schools are only place to get info about arts activities

· find out after the fact about events

· Need publicity

· Conservation

· Greenways

· Eliot Arts Writer for Portsmouth Herald

· Communication between creatives and commerce

· local benefactors – corporate and private

· Housing issue for low income ARTISTS

· Live-work spaces

· Need focal point for class info

· Website and print listings in newspapers on arts organizations

· Studio arts tours for KEYS region

· The town of York is looking to build a Performing Arts facility at the high school – could this be a regional facility?

· Combine corporate/private contributions with tax dollars

· There have been successful regional recreation projects such as passing tobacco-free rec. areas and Choose to be Healthy Day

· Virtual ‘art spaces’ include youth in determining arts – what art is today.

· Land easement tax incentive to land owner for arts center

· Artists/housing/studios

· Dense housing/office/with lofts

· 1 – website links

· 2 – inform key people in community

· 3 – end customers – emails, mail

· Commerce website for area artists

· What should relationship with Portsmouth Arts be?

· Kids – arts: Use web/internet technology for artists to be part of ‘Arts Community’

· Social networking

· Frustration

· Worried about housing and schools/teachers

· Lack of Info