Moore College in Philadelphia - Group Seven

The Big Canvas - July 30, 2008

The group of nine people consisted mostly of individuals who work in arts or arts education, or who saw their jobs as being dependent on arts and culture. -- Moderators Kiki Bolender and Nikki Thorpe

Why did you decide to attend this event?

• University of the Arts graduate, interested in various venues around the city and the hours they are open. Also, have concerns about funding for arts and culture.

• Work at Museum of Art, and am interested in how people define arts and culture.

• Affiliated with the Greater Arts Alliance, interested in hearing what art means to people.

• Work at PIDC, interested in the strategy being used for this process of engaging citizens around issues of arts and culture and how the suggestions will be implemented.

• An architect, interested in the new vision for civic engagement and city participation that Mayor Nutter seems to be pushing.

• Work at the Gershman Y, want to know what people want from arts and culture.

• Affiliated with the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance want to find what people value and how to market an appreciation for what arts and culture currently exist in the city. Focus on what we have and how to sustain it.

• Work as a guide to historical houses in Fairmont Park, interested in marketing and getting children interested in arts and culture in the city.

• President of Philadelphia Sculptors, interested in networking with new people.

For what do people use arts and culture?

Branding/marketing, tax deduction, education, social dialogue, networking (both professionally and personal), self expression, entertainment, therapy, political statement, hobbies, spiritual enlightenment, unwind/destress, career, tool for community engagement, proactive tool to prevent crime.

Who are the users?

Students, seniors, families, corporations, artists, visitors, tourists, people who have been exposed to the arts previously.

Nontraditional users:

Low income people/ those who cannot afford access to arts and culture; minorities; disabled; 25- to 40-year-olds, namely because they are preoccupied with young families.

What values do you think arts and culture bring to individuals, families, communities? What basic values do they support?

• Brings people and money to a community

• Art makes a place more habitable

• Destination

• Enlivens learning

• Economic stimulus

• Promotes understanding of others and other points of view

• Opens minds to other perspectives

• Brings likeminded people together

• Raising self respect and respect of one another

• Urban renewal

• Increases understanding and appreciation

• Gives children a perspective on the wider world

• Creates a sense of pride in one’s community

• Creates a sense of belonging to a community

• Innovation

• Promotes tolerance and progressive ideas

• Enhances appreciation and respect for artists and the work they produce

• Enlivens community

• As a result of seeing art people often feel comforted and encouraged

• Stimulates and encourages new thoughts and actions

• Involves people

• Gives you permission to feel – an allowance to take a moment to pause

• Can inspire you to transform or effect change

• Is a complement to democracy and citizen engagement

• Encourages critical dialogue

• Beautification of community

• Shifting consciousness

• Embodies what we are

• A complexity of responses

• Changes focus

• Sense of awareness

• Allowance of individuality while common ground exists

In our region, what are the barriers to these uses and values?

• Lack of money (resources)

• Transportation (public transportation issues)

• Not in the mainstream

• Human resources

• Basic needs come first, when making a decision on what to spend money and time on

• Lack of education, lack of exposure, free time, and/or an appreciation

• Arts and culture become a victim of economic hardships (personal situations)

• Perceived values and priorities don’t include arts and culture

• Seen as a luxury

• Social pressures

• Perceived as elitist

• Lack of awareness of social etiquettes required for participation

• Previous negative experience

• Employers don’t encourage employee participation

• Adapting to social values and times

• Technology (but can also be a point of increased entry)

• Decreased interest

• Lack of education (lack of exposure)

• Decreased funding

• Not necessarily geared to your personal experience

• Fear of taking a risk, outside comfort zone

• Price of admissions

• Political disinterest, and politicians’ priorities

• Too much choice is overwhelming

You're part of a committee that's going to decide how $60 million gets spent. What's on your list?

• Support capital programs for institutions and operating budgets. Establish an emergency fund that institutions can tap into when and if necessary. (7 votes)

• Build new institutions in region, such as a Center for Photography. (1 vote)

• Fund support for artists and institutions, offering ongoing partnership and networking opportunities.

• Fund arts educational programs, customized community arts programs, fund trainings in arts and culture and offer free courses at institutions. (5 votes)

• Ensure stability and sustainability of what currently exists (maintaining the existing work being done).

• Cultural credit card that could be used as a ticket for entry to a number of key arts and cultural destination around the city. (2 votes)

• Publicize art and culture benefit on region, really put an effort into quantifying the qualitative value. (1 vote)

• Bring international exhibits through Philadelphia.

• Partner arts and culture with public transportation – put public exhibits in transportation stations.

• Give better access to arts and culture through improved transportation.

• Ensure that every child in the region gets exposed to arts and cultural destination at least once a year. (2 votes)

• Establish a public place to make art, open to all citizens (modeled on Santa Barbara).
(1 vote)

• Free admission to institutions (one-day a week). (3 votes)

• Management and marketing support of artists. (3 votes)

• Advertising: inserts in local newspapers with information on venues and transportation to destinations.

• Subsidize artist housing and artists communities. (3 votes)

• Exposure children to art on a regular basis with initiatives outside of regular school day. (5 votes)

• Expose children to art through the school system. (2 votes)

• Put together grants for local artists.

There's only $20 million to spend. How do you prioritize your list from the previous
question?

• Support capital programs for institutions and operating budgets, and establish an emergency fund that institutions can tap into when and if necessary. (7 votes)

• Fund arts educational programs, customized community arts programs, fund trainings in arts and culture and offer free courses at institutions. (5 votes)

• Exposure children to the arts on a regular basis with initiatives outside of regular school day. (5 votes)

Other major regional concerns or issues? Which of these have a higher or lower priority than arts and culture?

• Environment – lower than arts and culture (shared benefit)

• Health care – lower (shared benefit to mental health)

• Education – higher (shared benefit)

• Crime prevention – higher (shared benefit)

• Affordable housing – lower

• Urban planning – lower (shared benefit)

• Lower taxes – lower

• Parenting – lower (shared benefit)

• Transportation – higher

• Job training and employment – even (shared benefit)

• New industry and business development – lower (shared benefit)

• Retaining talent – lower (shared benefit)

• Prison system reform – lower (shared benefit)

What didn't come up this evening that you'd hoped we would discuss?

• Leadership of the cultural institutions, who are our local leaders and how are they serving our communities.

• Strategies for coming up with the funding and working out a plan to negotiate restrictions and strings that may be attached to funds.