In May 2010, the Erie community celebrated the completion of CultureSpark, the Erie County cultural master plan, with a well-attended reception at the Mercantile Show, an exhibit of the Northwest Pennsylvania Artists Association.
That celebration echoed one of the main themes of CultureSpark, which is that arts, culture and heritage need to open new doors and make new connections outside their traditional arenas. The Mercantile Show was held in the newly renovated Mercantile Building at 14th and State streets, through a partnership with the Erie Redevelopment Authority.
During the past eight months, the CultureSpark Implementation Action Team, led by artist Tom Ferraro, who is the co-director of the Northwest Pennsylvania Artists Association, has been hard at work moving the cultural plan forward.
CultureSpark has provided 35 recommendations in six focus areas as a road map for arts, culture and heritage for the next 10 years.
We're happy to report that that we've been successful on several fronts. Throughout the planning process, the desire for a community arts, culture and heritage website was expressed by artists, educators and participants countywide. It's no surprise that a key element of CultureSpark is the development of that website, which will include a directory of artists from all art forms with links to their individual websites, as well as listings of arts, culture and heritage organizations, and out-of-school programs.
Just imagine teachers using the site to connect with artists to enhance learning in the classroom or parents having a resource for after-school arts programs for their children. The site will be a great resource for artists to sell their work and provide a connection to local musicians, dancers or poets. ArtsErie was pleased to receive funding from Retool Erie to develop this website. Watch for its launch in May 2011.
Another recommendation in CultureSpark focuses on the creation of guidelines that could be utilized by artists from all art forms to receive some measure of compensation when asked to donate their art. A team of artists is finalizing a set of guidelines which, after review, will be available for artists whether they are donating a piece of artwork or their artistic services.
Another group has been reviewing ways that CultureSpark can be integrated into other programs and planning processes throughout the county, such as the city's and county's five-year plans and Corry 2020. A link has been made between the Erie Community Foundation's Vital Signs project and the Americans for the Arts Local Arts Index, which ArtsErie is facilitating.
Developing new collaborations was a recurring theme throughout the plan. Discussions between the United Way, the Nonprofit Partnership and ArtsErie have led to a pilot program to address the summer educational slide that affects children in low-income households in Erie. Other collaborations have developed between arts councils in Erie, Corry, North East, Meadville, Titusville and Oil City.
As recommended in the plan, the ArtsErie United Fund has been restructured to conduct its fundraising in a format similar to the United Way. Donors have also been given more options. They may continue to support the annual campaign that funds arts programs and projects throughout the county. In addition, donors may contribute to arts in educations programs, the Erie Arts Endowment, or toward the CultureSpark recommendations. ArtsErie has also adopted a new diversity and inclusion policy with a goal of having a board that is diverse racially, geographically and with representation from the artist community.
With an entire chapter devoted toward cultural education, there are many opportunities to engage the superintendents. Recommendations include creating programs with film and animation for teens and using technology and the arts to make connections between elementary students in county schools and schools in metropolitan Erie.
Another aspect of the plan focuses on opportunities to better market arts, culture and heritage. Marketing the new website, the issue of multiple community calendars, and completing the way-finding signing system throughout the county are recommendations currently being addressed.
Continuing to spread the word about CultureSpark is an important aspect of its implementation. Presentations have been made to many arts, culture and heritage organizations as well as to community leaders, legislators and groups, such as Rotary Clubs, VisitErie and the school superintendents connected with Intermediate Unit 5. More presentations have been scheduled.
Implementation wouldn't be possible without the community members who have actively participated and the Erie Community Foundation, which provided funding to ArtsErie to move the process from planning to implementation.
As we complete many of the initial recommendations and move on toward those with a one- to four-year time frame, there are opportunities for more community members to get involved. Ideas are welcomed that would dovetail with the CultureSpark recommendations. Volunteers are welcome.
CHAR P. MASHYNA is executive director of ArtsErie.
Source: http://goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011302059993
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