Every paper announces births, deaths, anniversaries, engagements, marriages, but first dates? In this case the Dispatch was reporting the announcement of the formation of a 2nd arts panel, this one to examine the sustainability of the arts in Columbus in the wake of the looming catastrophe at the Symphony. My question: What’s the point of announcing this? Bad move in my view…..
Why a bad move? Well what if it doesn’t work out, what if there’s infighting between the arts council and this new panel. What if it’s realized that the panel make up has to change, or that it needs to be integrated into the original arts council. Is it a good idea to to have 2 panels that combined will be larger than most of the arts groups? Why announce it until something good has happened out of it or at the very least when a plan is put in place. Also there’s an assertion that this has little to do with the Symphony issues and yet the article doesn’t mention another group. Let’s get real here, it has everything to do with the Symphony, or are we to believe that the timing’s just a coincidence?:
Hightower said the possible demise of the Columbus Symphony won’t be a specific topic for the panel, but it will definitely give the group a sense of purpose. She said she hopes members can create a “cultural business plan,” encourage people to value the arts, and come up with ways to stabilize existing groups and nurture new ones.
Success, Hightower said, would ensure “we don’t keep getting into this mess.”
Huh? OK the Symphony is not a specific topic, but I’m looking for all of the reports of the “other” Columbus groups that are in a “mess” (or shutting down) and I can’t find any, so please admit that the Symphony is the reason this is happening. Plus, I wish people would start reversing their philosophy to encourage people to value the arts. How about the encouraging the arts to value people! Then, they will start to value the arts.
Getting back on track here, I have a philosophy about this panel thing, and I have served on plenty. They all start out with an idea, good intentions and a goal for a successful outcome, but I look at it comparatively to an endowment or capital campaign. If the goal is to raise $3 million for instance, it would be foolish to have a public announcement that we are starting at $0. Instead, specific calls and visits are made to get at least a third or preferably a half raised (or matched) before making any announcement. That way at an event or gala it’s announced that we’re kicking off our public $3 million endowment campaign and we are at $1.5 million in pledges and matches so far. This way that money becomes a powerful incentive for others to give (especially when it’s part of a match) because obviously there is a belief in supporting the Symphony. Like building a house, starting with a foundation so that people see how structurally sound their “brick” will be will make it more likely they will purchase a brick.
Is this not basic development? I apply the same logic to this panel. Form it, work out how it’s going to work and be configured (allowing time for disagreement and venting), do the studies, reports, research, meetings with vested parties and potential supporters, create the cultural plan and a mission statement with some flexibility for future public input (public input should take place as part of the research also), get some initial funding for proposals and THEN announce it to the general public as a plan to move forward with. This way there is something tangible to work with, a foundation to build on, and not just a deep hole in the ground!
I think also that a panel like this should be placed in a broader context as part of the overall discussion of the city’s development and sustainability tying the arts to health issues, education, transportation, law enforcement etc… Otherwise, the arts remains a niche for a few. My recommendation: include on the panel people in those other areas mentioned above (at least on an ad hoc basis) to help make the arts relevant. I say this over and over again: The arts biggest problem? Our lack of relevance.
Now what has this got to do with me and why do I care so much? Let’s just say I am not prepared to announce anything yet!
As an aside I did a “double read” with this statement from the article about the terminating of the CSO musicians contracts:
Board President Robert “Buzz” Trafford said yesterday that terminating the labor contract “has no impact on the negotiations” with musicians.
I just sat here for 5 minutes not able to find polite words to write after such a callous statement. All I can say is that I hope it was taken out of context. I mean what possible impact could it have when THEIR JOBS JUST GOT TAKEN AWAY!!!!!????