INC NEWS - Fwd: Kvetching by Arts groups

[Reyn Bowman]

I only imagine the bind City officials feel but a vibrant and indigenous
cultural landscape is just as crucial a part of this community's
infrastructure, as streets, sewer and water, open space, greenways, bike
paths and much, much more.  

 

The days when corporate philanthropy filled the funding void for
non-profits is vanishing...everywhere.  But especially here, where many
of our largest corporations now distribute half or more of their
philanthropy where commuter employees live rather than the community
where they are based.  We can lament it and decry it but it is what it
is.  We need new paradigms.

 

Funding for many things including the arts has fallen back on local
government.  It might be frustrating but we can't just push them out and
expect cake sales and car washes to sustain them at the level of
excellence necessary to sustain our quality of life and economic
well-being.  Just because, like sports, they may evolve from
enthusiasts, doesn't mean they don't serve a central purpose for the
entire community. 

 

The weaning process may have been premature, no matter how well
communicated or well intended.  We need Durham's legendary creativity to
evolve a coherent system for self funding the arts, e.g. a dedicated
admissions tax which would function as a user fee.  But we also need a
coherent way of making decisions about cultural facilities and how to
hold arts groups accountable and to determine obsolescence.  All easier
said than done.

 

A great deal of our cultural landscape has already eroded.  And once
gone, it can be very quickly be replaced by McArts or generica and be
almost impossible to restore.  Places that look like they went shopping
for culture one day and brought back one of everything don't thrive in
the long term.

 

We must solve this problem and I believe together we can.

 

 

 

 

 

From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org]
On Behalf Of Ellen Dagenhart
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 2:08 PM
To: inc-list at rtpnet.org
Subject: INC NEWS - Fwd: Kvetching by Arts groups

 

FYI. 




Cc: bragin at nc.rr.com,
 ellen Dagenhart <dagnhrt at mindspring.com>,
 Sherry DeVries <sldevries at durhamarts.org>,
 Robert Aitchison & Bob Aitchison <hafskip at mindspring.com>
From: Robert Aitchison <hafskip at mindspring.com>
Subject: Kvetching by Arts groups
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:55:11 -0400
To: mwshiflett at hotmail.com


Mike,

I have read your complaint that arts organizations should not be  
kvetching about cuts.

I wanted to step back in time to the late 90s, when the City, led by  
Mayor Sylvia Kerchoff, decided to fund arts organizations with a  
penny and a half of the tax dollar (the "penny pot") so we as a fine  
community would support arts.   This was not meant to be all the  
money the organizations would need to exist--far from it--but was to  
affirm the importance of arts to our community, our economy (!!) and  
our youth.  The application process was civilized and the city showed  
concrete support for something that makes life better for all Durham  
residents.

All was well until, some time in the last several years, Council  
decided to open up the Pot to all non-city agencies and make it a  
"competitive" process.  There seemed to be no way to satisfy  
everyone, so last year Council decided to look at the whole process.   
The result was what we were told in the winter--we would have two  
more years, less money each time, then nothing.  We were not at all  
satisfied, but what could we do?  If it seems we are kvetching now,  
it is because we have to put up with what we see as a betrayal.

The result is an "arts vs. cops" mentality, or so I read from your  
posts.  This is not what should be happening. Arts are the other part  
of the equation.  It should be Arts PLUS Cops = lower juvenile  
crime.  After I spoke on Monday, a policemen shook my hand!

A civilized city, especially one that claims to be an arts community,  
should support the arts!  It's that simple.

Anne Aitchison
Twice President and flutist member (as a volunteer, I must add)
The Durham Symphony



Ellen M. Dagenhart, ABR, e-Pro, GRI, SRES
MailTo:dagnhrt at mindspring.com
Marie Austin Realty, Durham, NC
1204 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705
http://www.marieaustin.com
<http://www.marieaustin.com/> Office  919-286-5611  FAX  919-286-2252
Cell 919-475-1719

[] 

Check it out! http://www.durham-nc.com/www.wheregreatthingshappen.com





 


--
OnPar ExchangeDefender Message Security: Click below to verify authenticity
http://www.exchangedefender.com/verify.asp?id=m55KHbo1003639&from=reyn@durham-cvb.com


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/private/inc-list/attachments/20080605/13e6f5f3/attachment-0001.htm