Okay, I KNOW that what I'm about to comment on has absolutely NOTHING to do with our class - or really related directly to public policy - though it is related to music.
The current name all a buzz around twitter and facebook these days has been...
REBECCA BLACK.
For those of you who know and have experienced her sweet and melodious vocal style, and have been swooned by her innate talent while inculcating the deepest and purest of emotions - all while using autotune....should skip this video.
However, if you haven't treated yourself to Rebecca's sumptuous lyrical style, DO SO NOW!
I don't know about you, but every time I watch this, I definitely start dry heaving.
Okay now read this AMAZING article on Yahoo (I know you're probably asking, "Since when has Yahoo put out any articles worth reading?" I agree, but read for the comedy factor.)
Uhm, are we really serious? Is this a joke, a digital sketch by SNL?
I sure hope so.
If I'm putting this into perspective, and looking at how this particularly tripe reflects on the community as a whole...tells me that...the demographic I'll be marketing to likes...well...tripe?
Either it'll be really easy to market against this...are like fighting a bull with a banana...
(think about that last one for a minute...and then continue)
I'm baffled at how people even think this good, even with no prior background or knowledge in music. Pull out my iPod and flip through my playlists and you'll definitely find some trash in there, but at least it's quality trash!!
Lord Jesus...if this any idea of what we're in for 10 years down the road...just rip my ears off now please.
Cheers!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Question of the Hour
You think the CSO's multiple sell-outs this season are a direct result of the maestros last year?
Or maybe because people love the arts in Cincinnati?
We should use this positive bit of information as fuel to motivate even more citizens to get involved and participate in more arts and cultural activities around the city.
If it were me, I wouldn't be trying to answer this question, or really even present it. Makes me feel as though we're trying to demystify the fact that people are invested in the arts
The comment in the Enquirers blog, however, absolutely made me laugh and realize just how infrequent people think about their comments. The commentator questioned why the Symphony was renovating the Hall to lower the number of seats after so many sell outs.
I'm not going to answer his question because it just makes sense why they're doing the renovation. Not to mention that I've taken the time to READ articles and blogs about the renovation - you know, to educate myself.
Seems like we will inevitably be fighting the battle of ignorance for the rest of our careers.
Fight ON, friends. FIGHT ON!
Here's a link fo yo' readin' pleasure:
"Why are symphony concerts selling out?" by J. Gelfand
Or maybe because people love the arts in Cincinnati?
We should use this positive bit of information as fuel to motivate even more citizens to get involved and participate in more arts and cultural activities around the city.
If it were me, I wouldn't be trying to answer this question, or really even present it. Makes me feel as though we're trying to demystify the fact that people are invested in the arts
The comment in the Enquirers blog, however, absolutely made me laugh and realize just how infrequent people think about their comments. The commentator questioned why the Symphony was renovating the Hall to lower the number of seats after so many sell outs.
I'm not going to answer his question because it just makes sense why they're doing the renovation. Not to mention that I've taken the time to READ articles and blogs about the renovation - you know, to educate myself.
Seems like we will inevitably be fighting the battle of ignorance for the rest of our careers.
Fight ON, friends. FIGHT ON!
Here's a link fo yo' readin' pleasure:
"Why are symphony concerts selling out?" by J. Gelfand
City Council on 2/24
All in all, this meeting was not very eventful. I was expecting more deliberation and more drama. All this talk about the city manager got me wondering what a city manager was and what one did. Below is the answer.
The Cincinnati city manager is this man:
His name is Milton Dohoney, Jr., and he was appointed to the position in 2006. Below is a list of his duties, as stated on the City of Cincinnati webiste.
The City Manager is responsible for providing and maintaining the essential City services through the efficient and effective management and operation of the City. The City provides many basic services to the citizens of Cincinnati, including fire and police protection, solid waste management, recreational activities, greenspace management, community and economic development, water and sewer management, and maintenance of the public infrastructure.
The City Manager delegates responsibility and coordinates the many tasks performed daily by City employees. The Mayor and City Council determine policies and set direction for the City through legislative measures, but the execution of policy is the paramount responsibility of the City Manager.
The City Manager executes the policy direction set by the Mayor and City Council through the management of 17 City departments and approximately 5,300 employees.
El Sistema USA- a Growing Public Policy
This article posted yesterday by on npr.org discusses the formation of El Sistema nucleo in the US. If you don't know what El Sistema is, read the wiki article here. As related to public policy, the most important factor about the original program in Venezuela is that it is entirely government funded. Thus presents the problem in the us.
"El Sistema as it is in Venezuela will never happen in the United States. It's not possible," says Richard Kessler, the executive director of New York City's Center for Arts Education."It's not possible for the program to be embraced by the social service and child welfare agencies, and be connected to a national health care system that we don't have. Our government does not fund the arts on that kind of level, on that sort of basis. So what happens is El Sistema has to be translated into something that's American and I think in the translation, generally speaking, it doesn't look very different than many very good youth orchestra programs."
Nuclei are becoming established in major cities all over the country, all at little or no cost to participants. This movement is going across the country- let's all help to keep it going!
Are Musician-Owned Orchestras a Viable Long-Term Option?
While doing some research to find out the events leading to the current states of the orchestras in Detroit and Louisville, I stumbled across some information about the Louisiana Philharmonic. Everything I read about it sounded great. They are “musician-owned and -operated,” plus the orchestra has been able to generate decent ticket sales. And the quality of the musicians, from what I hear, is quite good. What could be better?
But I recently had a conversation with a former member of the Louisiana Phil, and he argued that it wasn't all for the best. Because there is no collective bargaining through the union (they'd be bargaining against themselves, essentially), individual musicians pretty much have to trust that they will be justly compensated with benefits and salary. And considering the quality of the musicians in the orchestra, they are vastly underpaid. Consequently, many musicians join the orchestra for only a few seasons, moving away once they secure a better-paying job. However, the group is still in business, they sound great, and people are attending concerts. But is this really a feasible option for the long-term?
If anyone is looking for blogs to comment on at the last-minute, please share any thoughts you may have on the practicality of a musician-owned orchestra.
Here's an article about the Louisiana Phil from a local paper.
Image: http://www.lpomusic.com/
Art and Science: A Symbiotic Relationship
So, as luck would have it, art and science might not be all that different. Certainly, art is generally qualitatively evaluated, while science is judged quantitatively, but according to Dr. Robert Root-Bernstein at Michigan State University, artists and scientists share many of the same “thinking tools.” He recently suggested the possibility of an NEA-NSF (National Science Foundation) partnership to promote the “melding” of arts and sciences. Root-Bernstein has cited the development of tools such as the stethoscope, the laryngoscope, and even camouflage as examples of “artists, working as artists,” making direct contributions to science. He also suggested that drawing attention to such “cross-fertilization” may be beneficial in demonstrating the importance of the arts.
The composer Milton Babbitt often made comparisons between music and science. His argument didn't concern the creative thinking process, but rather the specialization of music and science. Many people argue music that is too difficult for most people to understand (and therefore inaccessible) has no place in society. Babbitt, however, argued that advanced physics and chemistry utilize concepts that are too involved for most people to understand, yet there is always support for these specialists to do research, so why should music be any different?
Obviously, Dr. Root-Bernstein's argument is of a much different nature, but it's still interesting to see people acknowledging the numerous similarities between art and science. Each one influences the other, but both are extremely important even without considering the other. As the title of the recent NEA blog entry suggests, art and science exhibit a “symbiotic” relationship. Hopefully, more people in this country can be exposed to this type of thinking.
http://www.palestrant.com/babbitt.html
http://www.arts.gov/artworks/?p=6141
It may not be a problem to you, but it will be
On March 11, 2011, Stephanie Harris-Smith of the Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas) wrote a compelling story on the NEA's $155 million budget cut and its effect on after school programs. The title of this blog is a quote from Eighth Judicial District North-Circuit Judge Randy Wright. Wright said students that would most likely be alone until parents come home from work are involved in cultural and artistic projects they enjoy. Wright said the highest percentage of juvenile crimes are committed between the hours of 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. These comments were made after he learned that a grant known as the 21st CCLC which funds a major portion of Hope's very successful after school program is being cut by $600,000 in 2011. The cuts would totally end the program as it is now operated 48 weeks of the year. Program director, Repha Buckman said if the cuts are made, the program may have to be only two months out of the year with limited resources.
(Above:Members of the Southwest Arkansas Arts Council’s successful Drum Ballet are part of an after school program conducted by the Arts Council which is in jeopardy because of federal funding cuts.)
The NEA budget cut will affect the entire country, even small cities like Hope According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378. The discourse on this budget cut now extends beyond the questions, "Do Americans need the arts? Do Americans appreciate the arts?" The budget cut affects the safety and development of children. These after school programs keep children off the street and away from empty homes during a time period where the highest percentage of juvenile crimes are committed. Politicians, parents, and educators need to make the case for children, if not anyone else, in this battle for NEA funding. People in support of the budget cut will feel the effects of the budget when juvenile crimes are on the rise. It may not be a problem to them, but it will be.
Source: http://www.hopestar.com/features/x1777803955/After-school-arts-program-in-danger
(Above:Members of the Southwest Arkansas Arts Council’s successful Drum Ballet are part of an after school program conducted by the Arts Council which is in jeopardy because of federal funding cuts.)The NEA budget cut will affect the entire country, even small cities like Hope According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378. The discourse on this budget cut now extends beyond the questions, "Do Americans need the arts? Do Americans appreciate the arts?" The budget cut affects the safety and development of children. These after school programs keep children off the street and away from empty homes during a time period where the highest percentage of juvenile crimes are committed. Politicians, parents, and educators need to make the case for children, if not anyone else, in this battle for NEA funding. People in support of the budget cut will feel the effects of the budget when juvenile crimes are on the rise. It may not be a problem to them, but it will be.
Source: http://www.hopestar.com/features/x1777803955/After-school-arts-program-in-danger
Foursquare for the Arts
In this course, we've been discussing ways to generate and maintain interest in the arts, especially in the local community. Since that first class meeting, I've been thinking of creative ways to accomplish this task. I am aware this class focused on public policy and the role of the government in arts but the government also includes its citizens. If the government can observe an increase in citizens' interest in the arts, perhaps funding for the arts would not be in danger.
After using the program Foursquare for a few months, I got an idea... Foursquare for Cincinnati Arts. In this post, I will explain what Foursquare is and how it can be used to promote the arts in Cincinnati.
Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. By “checking in” via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges. Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues. Merchants and brands leverage the foursquare platform by utilizing a wide set of tools to obtain, engage, and retain customers and audiences. Foursquare co-founders Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai met in 2007 while working in the same office space (at different companies) in New York City. Working from Dennis' kitchen table in New York's East Village, they began building the first version of foursquare in fall 2008, and launched it at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas in March 2009. As of February 2011, foursquare had over 6.5 million users worldwide. (Source: http://foursquare.com/about)
In 2010, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Waste Management, Inc. celebrated mayoral leadership and innovation June 12 by awarding Mayors Mark Mallory of Cincinnati and Jennifer T. Stultz of Gastonia (NC) first place honors in the 2010 City Livability Awards Program during the Mayors- 78th Annual Meeting in Oklahoma CIty. Mayor Mallory credits the win to Muralworks, a program of Artworks that employs artists and teens to create murals around the city. Since MuralWorks began in 2007, ArtWorks has painted 34 murals in 25 neighborhoods in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Clck the image below for a map of these murals.
My idea: these murals should be Foursquare destinations. Foursquare users (Cincinnati residents and visitors to the city) could document their presence at each mural just by "checking in." They could add pictures and even add "tips" to each mural's profile. This is a free service that is not time consuming or complicated. Foursquare could create a special "Public Art" or "Mural" badge and users would earn this badge after checking in at so many murals. Foursquare records the number of people that have visited each "venue" and how often. This program would aggregate quantitative data for interested parties. This program could also be used in programming to generate interest. Imagine a mural scavenger hunt conducted entirely on foursquare or a contest to check in to the most places. That would surely get people excited about art in Cincinnati and show our city council, state and national government that we appreciate art. I would like to extend implementation of the foursquare program to all public art works in Cincinnati if the mural idea is successful. These murals will not be painted over or intentionally destroyed by the city. Their life span is not as long as architecture but they are a part of the Cincinnati landscape. Right now, users can "check in" at restaurants, entertainment venues, and other businesses. By adding these murals (and later, other public art) to Foursquare, these works of art become tangible entities with addresses.
The National Arts Index reports Americans seek more personal engagement in the arts. Personal arts creation and arts volunteerism is growing. The number of Americans who personally participated in an artistic activity—making art, playing music—increased 5 percent between 2005 and 2009, while volunteering jumped 11.6 percent. (Source: http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/arts_index/001.asp) Foursquare would enable more personal engagement with art with the click of a button.
After using the program Foursquare for a few months, I got an idea... Foursquare for Cincinnati Arts. In this post, I will explain what Foursquare is and how it can be used to promote the arts in Cincinnati.
Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. By “checking in” via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges. Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues. Merchants and brands leverage the foursquare platform by utilizing a wide set of tools to obtain, engage, and retain customers and audiences. Foursquare co-founders Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai met in 2007 while working in the same office space (at different companies) in New York City. Working from Dennis' kitchen table in New York's East Village, they began building the first version of foursquare in fall 2008, and launched it at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas in March 2009. As of February 2011, foursquare had over 6.5 million users worldwide. (Source: http://foursquare.com/about)
In 2010, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Waste Management, Inc. celebrated mayoral leadership and innovation June 12 by awarding Mayors Mark Mallory of Cincinnati and Jennifer T. Stultz of Gastonia (NC) first place honors in the 2010 City Livability Awards Program during the Mayors- 78th Annual Meeting in Oklahoma CIty. Mayor Mallory credits the win to Muralworks, a program of Artworks that employs artists and teens to create murals around the city. Since MuralWorks began in 2007, ArtWorks has painted 34 murals in 25 neighborhoods in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Clck the image below for a map of these murals.
My idea: these murals should be Foursquare destinations. Foursquare users (Cincinnati residents and visitors to the city) could document their presence at each mural just by "checking in." They could add pictures and even add "tips" to each mural's profile. This is a free service that is not time consuming or complicated. Foursquare could create a special "Public Art" or "Mural" badge and users would earn this badge after checking in at so many murals. Foursquare records the number of people that have visited each "venue" and how often. This program would aggregate quantitative data for interested parties. This program could also be used in programming to generate interest. Imagine a mural scavenger hunt conducted entirely on foursquare or a contest to check in to the most places. That would surely get people excited about art in Cincinnati and show our city council, state and national government that we appreciate art. I would like to extend implementation of the foursquare program to all public art works in Cincinnati if the mural idea is successful. These murals will not be painted over or intentionally destroyed by the city. Their life span is not as long as architecture but they are a part of the Cincinnati landscape. Right now, users can "check in" at restaurants, entertainment venues, and other businesses. By adding these murals (and later, other public art) to Foursquare, these works of art become tangible entities with addresses.
The National Arts Index reports Americans seek more personal engagement in the arts. Personal arts creation and arts volunteerism is growing. The number of Americans who personally participated in an artistic activity—making art, playing music—increased 5 percent between 2005 and 2009, while volunteering jumped 11.6 percent. (Source: http://www.artsusa.org/information_services/arts_index/001.asp) Foursquare would enable more personal engagement with art with the click of a button.
Chicago's New Mayor Supports the Arts!
A few weeks ago, Chicago's mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel discussed his vision for the arts in Chicago once he takes office. The Tribune article covering the story can be found here. In summary, the post discusses Emanuel's appreciation for Chicago theater, opera, and dance. He stressed the growth of arts organizations in all of the Chicago neighborhoods, not just downtown.
In a different Tribune interview, Emanuel was asked about the shaky state of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs. Here was his answer:
A healthy arts and cultural community is vital to the overall economic climate in Chicago. Our Department of Cultural Affairs needs a renewed mission and new investment. As mayor, my first action in this area will be to order the creation of a new cultural plan for Chicago. The planning process should include an assessment of our cultural resources, and a discussion with artists in every neighborhood and in all arts and cultural disciplines about our collective needs, opportunities, and priorities. From this process the Department of Cultural Affairs can create new strategies that promote vibrant arts and cultural hubs in every community and help to anchor economic growth on every side of the city.
Finally, a government leader who gets it!!
2/16 Cincinnati City Council Meeting (Video Visit)
I was unable to attend a Cincinnati City Council Meeting due to conflicts with my work and class schedule. Fortunately, I was directed to council's site by a classmate and watched a video of the February 16, 2011 meeting.
The meeting was surprisingly succinct. Vice-mayor Roxanne Qualls opened the session, followed by role call. Qualls yielded the floor to Councilpersons Birding and Young as they recognized members of the community. Birding recognized David Allen, music director of St. Williams Church and Councilperson posthumously recognized Roberta McLean, a leading member of Cincinnati society. The resolution was presented to her husband. It was very nice for the council and Mayor Mallory to recognize these individuals for their contributions to the Cincinnati community, especially Allen for his work at St. Williams. Vice mayor Qualls called a 10 minute recess... 10 minutes into the council meeting! I am assuming I would understand this recess better if I was physically present but from my perspective, the recess was unnecessary.
Upon return from the recess, the council had a moment of silent prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Qualls conducted the meeting, which had (what she called) a short agenda. The agenda included discussion of some municipal codes. Topics that had been previously discussed were not read again but voted upon by the members. This aspect of the meeting was repetitive and confusing at times but easily handled by Qualls. I perked up when the council voted on an agenda item concerning Keller's IGA in Clifton. It was higher on the agenda but Young requested the item to be discussed later. The store has been closed since January due to some tax issues and has been sorely missed by college students, neighborhood residents, the store's 50 employees, friends and supporters. Fortunately, the council unanimously voted on a resolution urging the governor to work with the Ohio Tax Commission on behalf of IGA to reopen.
After agenda items were discussed and voted upon by council members, Qualls called for committee announcements. She shared some information from the Livable Communities committee on a new development in Oakley/Milford. I was surprised by Quinliven's announcement from the.... Sunshine Committee?! She wished Councilman Birding a happy belated birthday. I found it interesting that a sunshine committee exists and that Quinliven felt the need to publicly acknowledge Birding's birthday.
The council meeting was simple and quick. After watching this one video, I almost wanted to watch another one to see if they were all so terse. I was expecting heated arguments; these council members did not debate or argue. No public policy related to the arts was on the agenda or debated but I did note that some of the resolutions and municipal code agenda items did not receive votes from a few council members. The Keller's IGA agenda item is related to the art community as that neighborhood is home to some of Cincinnati's most creative businesses and people.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Bridging Broadway Transportation Sub-Committee Meeting
On February 1st, Stephen Samuels headed a presentation at a meeting of the Major Transportation & Infrastructure Projects Sub-Committee at City Hall on the work of Bridging Broadway and the exploration of different ways to capitalize on the potential economic and social benefits of the casino for the surrounding community. One of the project's main goals is to ensure that steps are taken to improve the area both residentially and commercially, as well as increasing the use/exposure of art downtown.
Much of the presentation focused on data that was gathered as far as crime levels and the conditions of streets and sidewalks. This data is being used to evaluate possible “corridors” leading to/from the casino that could be improved or incorporated into a large-scale plan to increase the benefit of the casino to the downtown area. The areas studied include Pendleton, OTR, Central Business District, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Auburn.
I thought the presentation was extremely well-organized and well-presented. The data presented was compelling and interesting, and the fact that so many possibilities exist to take advantage of the new casino is really exciting. I know we've had many discussions in class about “branding” Cincinnati and finding ways to share its positive features so that it can grow and become a more diverse community – I hope that the developments surrounding the casino will be a jump-start in the right direction. The 3rd and final community dialog for Bridging Broadway is being held this Saturday at the VLT Community Annex, and all members of the community are invited to attend.
http://bridgingbroadway.com/2011/03/new-bridging-broadway-dialogue-3/
Kansas Arts Commission fights for survival
Recently, the Kansas Art Commission has been in danger of disappearing. Governor Sam Brownback has signed an executive reorganized order which would dissolve the Kansas Art Commission and re-assign its duties to the Kansas Historical Society. More specifically, The Commission's responsibilities would fall on a new private, non-profit group called the Kansas Arts Foundation, which would exist within the Historical Society.
A group of about 50 artists, art supporters, and students staged a funeral march in response to the order, hoping to drum up support against it. They went as far as to make cardboard caskets to represent the “death” of the arts in Kansas.
The order, which was introduced in an attempt to reduce the state budget, takes effect July 1st, unless the state House or Senate passes a resolution to oppose the change. Many fear that the replacement of a state agency with a nonprofit would put the new group in direct competition with others that the Kansas Art Commission previously benefited. Governor Brownback's plan would save an estimated $600,000 this year, and $200,000 in subsequent years, but the new “foundation” might lack the state agency's ability to procure and match federal and regional arts funding. The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 against the reorganization, and even if the full Senate votes likewise, there will still be a significant challenge for the Kansas Arts Commission to secure funding within the state's budget, considering the fact that the state government tried to dissolve it.
http://imaginekansaswithoutart.blogspot.com/
http://www.kansas.com/2011/03/15/1763176/save-arts-commission.html
lpk & artswave
Some people really love lowercase letters. And the arts.
Local marketing firm lpk has launched an artswave supportive campaign showcasing how its staff and their families support the arts in Cincinnati. Lining storefronts are beautiful banners of people doing something artistic. CCM Arts Administration graduate Khoa Nguyen is showcased playing the trumpet, while Natalie, and "LPK Kid" is shown doing ballet. Each banner gives has either a quote from the participant, or a general statement about the strengths of having strong arts in your community.
It's exciting to see this support from a for profit non(directly)arts related company. Check out the banners by visiting Thadd Fiala's blog: Thadd and Milan
We Need More Weird
Haven't had enough of your weirdness fill lately? Things to 'ho-hum'? Hoping to see a unicorn made of snow in your neighborhood?
Sounds like you want to make Cincinnati weird.
These are the goals of www.makecincinnatiweird.com/. A blog entirely dedicated to bringing out the strange in the Nati. Whether through art, activities or writing, the weirdos behind Make Cincinnati Weird hope to knock you out of your boring life, even if just for a moment, and get you feeling again.
This spontaneous art, whether quickly pasting a bobble-head-like picture of a famous actor on the side of a building, or building various snow creatures before Cincinnatians wake up one morning has the spontaneity and genuineness that cannot be recreated by administrators at a multi-million dollar arts organization. At the same time, an artist who paints a mural on street in the middle of the night could easily be arrested for defacing public property. How do we promote the ability for art to be spontaneous and public in a modern society? With the required permits, lobbying, meetings and paperwork it becomes almost impossible to do spontaneous art. Banksy and a few others seem to be the only ones able to get this done- butagain, Banksy had been considered a graffiti outlaw for years.
Oh well- At least we'll always have our George Washington in a dress-
Creative Arts - Just ADD water!
Amazing how the arts have and continue to shape Cincinnati. The revitalization of Cincinnati has been going on for years and the role arts have played in that change are significant and evident.
I've only been here for two years, so I've seen a very small part of that transformation. What's noteworthy and amazing is just how quickly I've seen a change, particularly the want and need for the arts in the community. Really. I'm tickled pink... well, figuratively speaking at least.
And please, don't tickle me - unless you'd like to lose your finger.
This article from WCPO.com sparked my interest:
"Ten Years Later: The Arts"
I've only been here for two years, so I've seen a very small part of that transformation. What's noteworthy and amazing is just how quickly I've seen a change, particularly the want and need for the arts in the community. Really. I'm tickled pink... well, figuratively speaking at least.
And please, don't tickle me - unless you'd like to lose your finger.
This article from WCPO.com sparked my interest:
"Ten Years Later: The Arts"
Monday, March 14, 2011
Public Domain Works in Dispute
Many symphonies play mostly pieces that are a part of the public domain. There are several ways that a piece of music could qualify as part of the public domain. Those are:
However, some works that were previously in the public domain are now facing the possibility of being copyrighted. The works in question are all foreign and were previously part of the public domain in the U.S., but were still copyrighted under international laws. In 1994, Congress adopted legislation to bring the U.S. in line with an international copyright treaty called the Berne Convention. Now, the Supreme Court is going to decide whether Congress has the right to remove works from the public domain.
- 1. If the work was published in the United States prior to 1923, it is in the public domain.
- 2. For works published between 1923 and March 1, 1989, it depends on whether the certain statutory formalities were observed, such as providing a notice of copyright on the work or renewing the copyright per statutory deadlines. Examples:
- a) If the work was published in the United States between 1923 and 1978 without a notice, it is in the public domain. (Note: If the work published during this period has a notice, it is protected for 95 years from the date of publication.)
However, some works that were previously in the public domain are now facing the possibility of being copyrighted. The works in question are all foreign and were previously part of the public domain in the U.S., but were still copyrighted under international laws. In 1994, Congress adopted legislation to bring the U.S. in line with an international copyright treaty called the Berne Convention. Now, the Supreme Court is going to decide whether Congress has the right to remove works from the public domain.
Some of the works at issue include:
- H.G. Wells’ Things to Come
- Fritz Lang’s Metropolis
- The musical compositions of Igor Fydorovich Stravinsky
This decision by the Supreme Court could mean a lot for American Orchestras. These organizations are already burdened financially, and would be further harmed by having to pay more in royalties to perform these works. If the works of Stravinsky and other artists move back into the public domain, they would most likely be performed less frequently and fewer people would hear the works. The Supreme Court should not stifle the creative breadth of orchestras by moving more works out of public domain.
References:
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/copyright/publicdomain.html
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/supreme-court-recopyright/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+wired/index+%28Wired:+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29
References:
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/copyright/publicdomain.html
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/supreme-court-recopyright/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+wired/index+%28Wired:+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Reviving the Honolulu Symphony
I accidentally stumbled across an article about the efforts that are currently underway to restore the Honolulu Symphony. The symphony filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2009. We have spent a lot of time talking about why the arts are important for a community and how we can make people feel that they are vital. This article is a nice reminder that some people really do believe that and are working to revive the symphony. A group of prominent business and civic community leaders, led by Steve Monder who recently retired from the CSO, have been meeting with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs about the symphony. The group states that "it would be a shame if Hawaii does not have a world class symphony..." because they are "the crossroads of the Pacific, and culturally we'd be starving if we don't have a symphony...and I think the youth would really suffer." All excellent reasons! Hopefully there will be broad community support for their efforts and the Honolulu Symphony can come into existance again.
How Art Can Save the World
As I was sipping on my bold coffee blend from my favorite local organic, fair trade coffee shop Aquarius Star, I was catching up on all my blog subscriptions on google reader and this post caught my eye: Solving World Disasters through Art. This post is from "Books of Adam," a blog written by a fellow misanthrope, Adam Ellis, who chooses to bestow the goings-on of his life upon the undeserving, but ultimately grateful community of the internets.
When I first saw the title I thought to myself, "I love art! The world's pretty boss. How do I save the world with art?!" Naturally, I clicked on the link and read Adam's post. He delightfully insulted the American people and their obsession with reality television while simultaneously asking for the world to provide support the Japanese people. Adam has created a few drawings and put them up for auction on eBay. All proceeds will go to the rescue efforts in Japan via International Medical Corp.
So, you have a choice. You can either go to eBay and vote on any one of these three picture (personally, I'm a fan of the Sailor Moon one) or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 (US) to donate $10 to help Japan.
It's up to you. Be a global citizen. Help out the country that brought us George Tekai, Godzilla, and Mario Brothers.
--Carolyne Hall
When I first saw the title I thought to myself, "I love art! The world's pretty boss. How do I save the world with art?!" Naturally, I clicked on the link and read Adam's post. He delightfully insulted the American people and their obsession with reality television while simultaneously asking for the world to provide support the Japanese people. Adam has created a few drawings and put them up for auction on eBay. All proceeds will go to the rescue efforts in Japan via International Medical Corp.
So, you have a choice. You can either go to eBay and vote on any one of these three picture (personally, I'm a fan of the Sailor Moon one) or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 (US) to donate $10 to help Japan.
It's up to you. Be a global citizen. Help out the country that brought us George Tekai, Godzilla, and Mario Brothers.
--Carolyne Hall
Friday, March 11, 2011
When Does This Art Expire?
University of Iowa Performing Arts Entrepreneurship Professor, David McGraw wrote a very interesting opinion article for the Iowa City Press Citizen about the expiration date of arts organizations. He mentioned our society’s habit of confusing age with quality, how we are more likely to support an organization that has been around longer, and our refusal to let organizations close their doors quietly. Mr. McGraw suggests creating arts organizations with expiration dates - an organization would be created with the sole purpose of creating art and ending at a specific date. Mr. McGraw described such organizations as collaborations that focus on the celebration of art being created rather than the longevity of the organization. While I am not completely sold on this idea, I do think it has some merit.
As we've been discussing the supply and demand of the arts market, I can see where projects like this may be beneficial. Having a set amount of time an arts organization is going to exist creates a sense of scarcity and urgency. Also, people love projects -- we like to feel like we belong to something. If we look at such community art oriented projects such as Cincinnati ArtsWave's "Paint the Street" initiative, we can see how successful events like this can be, at least in their first year. Additionally, projects that do not have the intent to last forever appear to be more malleable. These expiration date arts organizations can also be designed to fill specific needs within a community. The influx of new and different initiatives could really benefit a community.
However, I would like to address Mr. McGraw’s concern with our society’s inability to let longstanding organizations close their doors quietly. Whether we realize it or not, we have a relationship with the arts and the organizations that produce them. No one likes to see a relationship end, which makes it so difficult to let go of an organization we’ve been familiar with for so long. Arts organizations that plan to exist for only a few years remind me of the short dating trysts so popular in romantic comedies called a "fling". People go into the fling knowing it’s going to end soon, but eventually someone starts to have lasting feelings. Someone always ends up getting hurt. While the characters in a romantic comedy always seem to conveniently resolve their issues and fall madly in love with each other and live happily ever after, I don't think I can say the same about the arts and the community. I cannot accurately say who will be hurt one in this situation. Perhaps it’s the community because there is suddenly a void of the arts. Maybe it's patrons who have come to enjoy, maybe even love, the work the organization created. It could be the managers and artists who are suddenly out of job, forced to create another similar organization or move to a new city, away from their supportive community.
Who’s funding these short-term organizations? Donors like to know where their money is going and how the company is being affected. The minds of donors are put more at ease when giving to an organization that has been operating for long time because they know the company is sustainable. Donors know there is a relationship between the community and the organization. On a more egocentric note, donors like to a part of the legacy. They like to see their names in programs and receive the benefits promised for their certain levels of donation. If an organization only plans to exist for five years, it may be a lot harder to find people to give money.
The State of Education
A college friend of mine, Carl, is a second year teacher at a high school in Eastern Iowa. Over the past couple years we've had several conversations about the state of arts and general education. We have come to the conclusion the potential is there, but nothing is being done. A couple months ago, Carl wrote a blog entry about the continuous conversation about the need for education reform in the State of Iowa and how often the blame of poor performing students is placed upon the shoulders of the educators. He goes on to outline the top four obstacles teachers face: quality professional development, the evolution of academic priority, parents and public misconceptions. As a young, enthusiastic educator trying to make a difference in the lives of his students, Carl has shed a new light of these issues.
I wholeheartedly agree with Carl's assessment and can only hope and pray my tax dollars are being spent effectively to positively reform Iowa's education system. For too long people have been complaining about the current system and giving suggestions as to make it better. However, that doesn't do anyone any good until we actually DO something about it. What does knowing the test teach us? Absolutely nothing beyond the fact that our students have the capability to be mindless drones that can regurgitate force-fed facts. What happened to education being about the experience? Why are good grades a given, something a student deserves, rather than an award? The grade inflation rate is outrageous! Shouldn't what a student learned be more important than the overall grade earned in a class. In my personal academic career, spanning from high school to graduate school, I have taken many classes where I received an A for my final grade and felt like I didn't learn anything. However, on the flip-side, I've taken classes where I worked very hard to earn a B. Those B's are so much more important to be because I was challenged and felt I actually learned something.
Why does the whole of the fault of poor academic performance of students have to be placed on the shoulders of teachers? As Carl points out in his post, parents are a major influence on the performances of their children. This extends far beyond the academic arena. When parents are supportive and involved in the lives of their children, they perform better. They become contributing members of society. Why? Because their parents were a good example. If parents took the time to be a part of the lives of their children and teach them positive social values and good work ethic, perhaps our educators will be more successful in their teaching. It is not fair to expect our grossly overworked and underpaid educators to be parents by proxy AND teach our children algebraic equations. This is a challenge to all parents out there: ask your child what he or she learned in school today, ask if they helped anyone, ask if they met anyone new. Engage with your child. Please do not expect television to raise your children. Trust me, the Kardashians are far from the best example your children need. Please inspire your child to aspire to be more than a contestant on the Bachelor in 2020. Try to keep your kids in school and positively reinforce their good behavior. At the least tell them you love them. Seriously, all these daddy issues are guaranteeing us an army of strippers for generations to come.
I realize there are some teachers out there who are in the field because it's a safer bet, unless you're in Wisconsin and Ohio and other states taking away the collective bargaining rights of our educations. (Shame on you, Governor Walker.) But there are so many more teachers who actually care. Why not implement some sort of reward system based on student evaluations within middle and high schools. If nothing else, it's another way to get students to write. I understand these students can't vote yet, but they do have opinions. Maybe this is idealist in me, but I think allowing students to actively shape their education would empower them to take ownership of it. Sometimes all it takes is to ask a student what they think to get them involved. Plus the evaluations may help teachers who aren't effectively reaching their students to adapt their methods.
I understand that education reform is going to take a lot more money, time and effort than we really want to put it. However, we must remember the age old adage, "You reap what you sow." We need to invest in our future today. Start small. Parents pay attention to your children; encourage them to do their best and learn something. Please, teach your children manners and positive social behaviors. Teachers, keep up the good work. Administrators, pay communicate with your teachers and with the parents in your district. State Legislators, don't aim for perfection, aim for what is realistic. Small, measurable and achievable goals are a good idea. Don't set yourselves up for failure. It doesn't make you look good. Community members, please act like you're in a community; take an interest in the schools and the education of your future community leaders. We want to cultivate a flourishing garden of educated global citizens, but that takes time, effort, and money. Please invest.
I wholeheartedly agree with Carl's assessment and can only hope and pray my tax dollars are being spent effectively to positively reform Iowa's education system. For too long people have been complaining about the current system and giving suggestions as to make it better. However, that doesn't do anyone any good until we actually DO something about it. What does knowing the test teach us? Absolutely nothing beyond the fact that our students have the capability to be mindless drones that can regurgitate force-fed facts. What happened to education being about the experience? Why are good grades a given, something a student deserves, rather than an award? The grade inflation rate is outrageous! Shouldn't what a student learned be more important than the overall grade earned in a class. In my personal academic career, spanning from high school to graduate school, I have taken many classes where I received an A for my final grade and felt like I didn't learn anything. However, on the flip-side, I've taken classes where I worked very hard to earn a B. Those B's are so much more important to be because I was challenged and felt I actually learned something.
Why does the whole of the fault of poor academic performance of students have to be placed on the shoulders of teachers? As Carl points out in his post, parents are a major influence on the performances of their children. This extends far beyond the academic arena. When parents are supportive and involved in the lives of their children, they perform better. They become contributing members of society. Why? Because their parents were a good example. If parents took the time to be a part of the lives of their children and teach them positive social values and good work ethic, perhaps our educators will be more successful in their teaching. It is not fair to expect our grossly overworked and underpaid educators to be parents by proxy AND teach our children algebraic equations. This is a challenge to all parents out there: ask your child what he or she learned in school today, ask if they helped anyone, ask if they met anyone new. Engage with your child. Please do not expect television to raise your children. Trust me, the Kardashians are far from the best example your children need. Please inspire your child to aspire to be more than a contestant on the Bachelor in 2020. Try to keep your kids in school and positively reinforce their good behavior. At the least tell them you love them. Seriously, all these daddy issues are guaranteeing us an army of strippers for generations to come.
I realize there are some teachers out there who are in the field because it's a safer bet, unless you're in Wisconsin and Ohio and other states taking away the collective bargaining rights of our educations. (Shame on you, Governor Walker.) But there are so many more teachers who actually care. Why not implement some sort of reward system based on student evaluations within middle and high schools. If nothing else, it's another way to get students to write. I understand these students can't vote yet, but they do have opinions. Maybe this is idealist in me, but I think allowing students to actively shape their education would empower them to take ownership of it. Sometimes all it takes is to ask a student what they think to get them involved. Plus the evaluations may help teachers who aren't effectively reaching their students to adapt their methods.
I understand that education reform is going to take a lot more money, time and effort than we really want to put it. However, we must remember the age old adage, "You reap what you sow." We need to invest in our future today. Start small. Parents pay attention to your children; encourage them to do their best and learn something. Please, teach your children manners and positive social behaviors. Teachers, keep up the good work. Administrators, pay communicate with your teachers and with the parents in your district. State Legislators, don't aim for perfection, aim for what is realistic. Small, measurable and achievable goals are a good idea. Don't set yourselves up for failure. It doesn't make you look good. Community members, please act like you're in a community; take an interest in the schools and the education of your future community leaders. We want to cultivate a flourishing garden of educated global citizens, but that takes time, effort, and money. Please invest.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Classical Music Economics
American Orchestras: The Sound of Trouble
The Detroit Symphony, which has just emerged from a 34-day musician’s strike, is in such economic straits that it may have to disband.
-Time Magazine, June 13, 1969
Detroit Symphony Cancels Season as Musicians Strike
The management of the debt-burdened Detroit Symphony Orchestra canceled the rest of its season on Saturday, after executives and the players failed to resolve a strike that has lasted four and a half months.
-The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2011
The Detroit Symphony, which has just emerged from a 34-day musician’s strike, is in such economic straits that it may have to disband.
-Time Magazine, June 13, 1969
Detroit Symphony Cancels Season as Musicians Strike
The management of the debt-burdened Detroit Symphony Orchestra canceled the rest of its season on Saturday, after executives and the players failed to resolve a strike that has lasted four and a half months.
-The New York Times, Feb. 19, 2011
These two headlines come from an interesting blog post I came across tonight. It discusses the rise-and-fall-and-rise-again cycle of classical music and what can be done to create sustainable orchestras. The poster mentions the Louisiana Philharmonic, which was born from the ashes of the New Orleans Symphony. The Louisiana Phil is the country's first musician-owned-and-operated orchestra. In order to survive, the orchestra members make an average of only $23,000 a year.
I highly recommend reading this article. Even if you don't read the whole thing, just take this final sentence from it and think about it:
"Solving the economic problem of classical music is not easy. If it were, someone would have figured it out already. Perhaps fresh thinking is required."
Philadelphia Orchestra: the next Detroit?
According to this article on Philly.com, the orchestra management of the Philadelphia orchestra could be threatening chapter 11 bankruptcy during the organization's contract negotiations. Highlights of the article:
"Players - who could see a 20 percent cut in base pay and the loss of 10 positions - are taking the threat seriously. They would like any eventual deal to include a commitment that management will not seek bankruptcy protection, whose stigma they feel would both damage the orchestra's reputation and dampen fund-raising and ticket sales.
"Some orchestra board members are advocating bankruptcy - despite the fact that the group has no debt and an endowment well north of $100 million - because they believe it would allow management to no longer fulfill its pension obligations, board members and others say.
"Philadelphia's two sides have been meeting to reach a deal on salary, pension, work rules, size of the ensemble, and other matters as the orchestra's leadership responds to sagging attendance and a budget gap that administrators and board members variously have stated as being from $7 million to $14 million annually.
"Administrators have declined to commit to a specific operating deficit figure, or to say how they arrived at it."
I have to say that certain facts of this article confuse me. How can an organization file for bankruptcy if it is in fact not bankrupt? Also, how are the administrators and board members on such different pages in terms of the budget gap? Certain aspects of this situation remind me of the Oakland Symphony case study from our intro class...
Detroit Symphony Percussion Section Resigns. All of them.
In class several weeks ago, there was a somewhat heated debate over the DSO and what would happen if their salaries were slashed. Some people in class said that a reduced salary would have little to no effect on the caliber of the orchestra, under the argument that these musicians can't just go out and find other jobs at their convenience.
To summarize the article above: A few weeks ago, the DSO had 3 full-time percussionists (there is a vacant 4th spot which was not filled before the strike). Once it became clear that there was no end in sight to the strike, these players went out and took auditions with other major orchestras. They won. They now have new jobs in different high-paying orchestras.
I'm not trying to start a fight here, nor am I saying that I even agree 100% with the musicians. I'm just saying that to assume that a drastic salary slash will have little to no effect on the orchestra simply isn't true. The percussion section just proved it. These are some of the most talented musicians in the country. The odds of them winning big jobs when the positions open are extremely high, since Detroit is a big job and they were obviously good enough to win that one in the first place.
If the DSO has any chance of survival, some sort of agreement has to be reached. Someone has to give. The musicians think it has to be the management. The management thinks it has to be the musicians. As I am gaining insight into the arts administration world, I can see how this would easily occur. However, both sides just going back and forth saying they are right and the other is wrong is getting them nowhere. If something doesn't change soon, there will be no more DSO. Fortunately, most of the DSO musicians will have found employment elsewhere :)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Council Observation
The council meeting I viewed was the Major Transportation and Infrastructure projects sub-committee on 2/1/11. The topic of this discourse was the update about Bridging Broadway. "Bridging Broadway is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to maximize the new casino’s positive effect on Greater Cincinnati. We achieve this mission by connecting stakeholders, sharing concerns, and promoting opportunities."
This discourse went over some of the aspects re the vision statement. Here are some general key points that are factored into the vision statement: pedestrian oriented; mixed use, residential, retail and arts; mixed incomes, not completely gentrified; economic development; connecting surrounding neighborhoods; Be an entertainment district.
The idea is to maintain what is there, connect to historic districts, have good neighbourhood policy, and create a green infrastructure for the development.
A lot of the conversation involved the 6 month research process and updates. The update was by Stephen Samuels, giving his Phase 1 update. He said it is in tandem with Leah’s team, 6 month scope of work, still in the research phase. 1st half has been defining the study area, proposing primary corridors, looking at base line metrics and demographics, the 3 community dialogues, get the input (for qualitative data to go with the quantitative), to create the policy of: live, work, play. The data comes from every facet that will factor into the casino districts.
A lot of the discussion has been with the 5 surrounding neighbourhoods, Pendleton, central business district, OTR, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Auburn. Working with the community organizations, committees, and property owners. Another aspect has been looking at crime trends, doing a 4 year study. The idea is to look where the crime has moved.
A lot of the conversation was on the visual ascetics of the surrounding areas, be that the physical infrastructure, lighting, safety, etc. Which is fascinating, because of the criteria in which they were rating the areas, because Art was not a factor. The reason for all of this is how to design routes and structures to accommodate the expected foot traffic around this new corridor.
About 45 minutes into the conversation they mention a little about the "Arts experience." No clue what that means.
It seems like the overall point of this entertainment district is to overcome the barriers to entry of consumers to downtown.
What do people get for participating? That is a powerful statement, and one that could be applied to the arts as a whole, not just this project.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
There's No Place Like Home...
So, imagine being one of 30 talented artists living in a giant warehouse, converted to artist studios. Suddenly, you find out you are going to be evicted. And not because you haven't paid your rent or you've broken the rules of living in the studios. It's actually because the former owner of the building is in jail and the building has been turned over to the city, who has decided that the run-down warehouse/mansion (weird combo, I know) would provide more use when renovated and made into high end stores and apartments. This is what is happening to the artists of Shanghai's 696 Weihai Road. The city has decided to evict the remaining artists (many of whom have signed contracts with the city to live here) and once the building is renovated, many of them will not be able to afford living there.
So, what's an artist to do when faced with such a challenge. 2 things. The first, is to protest. The second? Stage a kick-ass social media campaign, using all of your creative powers combined!
(one of the pics from the social media campaign)
This movement (supposedly inspired by the Wizard of Oz) by the artists has gained massive amounts of support from the people of Shanghai and it looks like the artists will be getting a reprieve-at least for now. I love that they were able to "stick it to the man" by using their talents to create public support for themselves and their artforms. Well done artists, well done.
(more pictures featured in the Shanghai artist eviction social media campaign)
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Chinese+artists+fight+studio+eviction/23355
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/life/2011-02/09/content_11968339.htm
http://www.shanghaieye.net/english/2011/03/shanghai-artists-plan-%E2%80%98wizard-of-oz%E2%80%99-activity-to-resist-eviction-in-april
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Right is wrong, and wrong is right.
I'm sure many of you read this article about the DSO musicians rejecting managements 'final' contract. I have to admit, I'm actually rather surprised that Board kept their word and canceled the rest of the season.
From the Detroit Free Press:
"The musicians rejected management’s final contract offer, and management and the board of directors responded by carrying out a long-promised threat to suspend the remaining 3-1/2 months of the 2010-11 season. Half the season was lost to the 20-week strike already."
Maybe the DSO should start thinking about the Supply and Demand argument that Rocco Landesman brought up.
Though, I am curious to know how much money the DSO saved during the 20-week strike by the musicians. And I'm REALLY curious as to know whether or not canceling the remainder of the season will save the orchestra even more money.
So, what is going to happen next season? No contracts have been signed, programming seems like a shot in the dark, and no ones happy. Where do we go from here?
A while ago I remember having a conversation with one of my professors about the current state of orchestras in the US. My professor presented a rather interesting question:
If you're faced with the choice of losing your dream or taking a pay cut - which do you choose?
:sigh:
Ah well. I guess we'll have to wait and find out.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110219/ENT04/110219009
From the Detroit Free Press:
"The musicians rejected management’s final contract offer, and management and the board of directors responded by carrying out a long-promised threat to suspend the remaining 3-1/2 months of the 2010-11 season. Half the season was lost to the 20-week strike already."
Maybe the DSO should start thinking about the Supply and Demand argument that Rocco Landesman brought up.
Though, I am curious to know how much money the DSO saved during the 20-week strike by the musicians. And I'm REALLY curious as to know whether or not canceling the remainder of the season will save the orchestra even more money.
So, what is going to happen next season? No contracts have been signed, programming seems like a shot in the dark, and no ones happy. Where do we go from here?
A while ago I remember having a conversation with one of my professors about the current state of orchestras in the US. My professor presented a rather interesting question:
If you're faced with the choice of losing your dream or taking a pay cut - which do you choose?
:sigh:
Ah well. I guess we'll have to wait and find out.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110219/ENT04/110219009
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Sharing information
As this program reaches to an end I would like to share a link where arts supporters, artistic directors, board members, artists and everybody involved in the arts can look for some ideas on how to support the arts. Anyone interested in arts can find conferences about public policy, cultural economics, cultural legislations, sociology of culture, budgets, marketing, management and many other areas of interest. An interesting fact about this site is that there are conferences from many countries, therefore many different cultures, lifestyles and of course politics. It is a great tool to get new ideas that might be implemented in our local environment.
Today I want to share with you a video about Culture and Politics. In this video John Holden talks about the reality for many museums and almost any other artistic organization. I will not repeat what the speaker says since he does a great job by himself. But I will tell you something about him.
John Holden was previously Head of Culture at Demos and is a Visiting Professor at City University. He has Masters Degrees in law and art history and his main professional interest is in the development of people and organisations in the cultural sector. He has been involved in numerous major projects across the sector, from libraries to music to heritage, and has worked with many organisations both large and small. He was a principal organiser of the influential Valuing Culture conference in June 2003, and has developed a theme of work around the topic of cultural value. John has spoken at many conferences in the UK, and also in Finland, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Cincinnati City Council Meeting
On February 24, 2011, I attended the Cincinnati City Council Meeting. The meeting was run by Mayor Mark Mallory, and I thought the the issues presented were very interesting. The first item that was discussed was an emergency ordinance that authorizes the city manager to submit a substantial amendment to the City of Cincinnati 2010 consolidated plan to the department of housing and urban development. There was a process of yes/no votes, and then the ordinance was approved. The next several items also went through the same voting process.
- An emergency ordinance that customizes the appropriation of $1 million dollars for the purpose of providing for the current expenses for the year 2011.
- An emergency ordinance that authorizes the city manager to apply and accept an appropriated grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
-An emergency ordinance that authorizes the city manager to establish terms and conditions for the presentation of the "Taste of Cincinnati."
-An ordinance to authorize the city manager to establish terms and conditions for the presentation of "Oktoberfest."
After this business portion, the meeting presented different announcements from various committees. For example, the Quality of Life committee will meet to discuss the "Green Cincinnati" plan and evaluate environmental efforts. Another example is the Job Creation committee which will discuss the number of job loss that the city will encounter, in addition to the loss in tax revenue.
As an international student, this was my first time to attend a council meeting. It was an interesting experience to see the variety in issues presented during the Council meeting. I thought that the agenda items would fuel lengthy discussions; however, all of the agenda items were agreed upon using a quick yes/no voting system.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Oklahoma: Dilemma with Public Art and Funding Measures
The Oklahoma House subcommittee suspended a law that requires a percentage of the funds spent on public projects to be used for public art. Under House Bill 1665, Rep. Leslie Osborn says that this will eliminate the Arts in Public Places Act for the next three years.
The Arts in Public Places Act was initially passed in 2004. Whenever the state has building renovations or projects that cost $250,000 or more, 1.5% of the cost is allocated towards public art projects. More recently, the Arts in Public Places program has been suffering due to revenue shortfalls. $500 million is the anticipated deficit for the upcoming fiscal year for the state of Oklahoma. Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, said that “We ought to be building a lot more bridges than pictures of buffaloes on freeway walls,” while Rep. Leslie Osborn said: “Government needs to focus on its core functions.”
Public art programs add vibrancy and excitement to a city. I believe that politicians need to start supporting artistic projects instead of cutting them for the sake of balancing the budget.
http://newsok.com/law-deferring-arts-program-passes-panel/article/3542879
Arts Education Decline for Minorities: Why?
According to a new report by the National Endowment for the Arts, fewer U.S. children are getting access to arts education, especially minorities (African-Americans and Hispanics). The research results report a drop to 50% in the number of adults who received any kind of arts education during their childhood. Also, only 26% of African-American citizens surveyed in 2008 reported getting any sort of arts education. For the Latino population, the figure of individuals receiving arts education has decreased to 28%. The question is: who’s to blame for this problem? Is it the schools?
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2011/02/new_study_suggests_arts_ed_for.html
The NEA and Arts Participation
The NEA recently reported that 75 percent of Americans participate in the arts, according to a recent survey. The survey took into consideration the use of electronic media, and what is interesting is that 53 percent of all American adults pinpointed electronic media as their delivery system. In addition, 75 percent of all adults interacted with the arts, not only through electronic media, but also by attending arts events or creating art. In the 2008 Public Participation in the Arts Survey (2008), only 34.6% of adults attended a live performance (opera, ballet, jazz, plays) or visited a museum.
The survey results also mention that 18 percent of adults used mobile devices and the internet to access classical music, while 15% of adults accessed Latin music through these avenues. It is worth noting how new media has expanded people’s access and reach to the arts. Arts organizations need to leverage social and upcoming media to reach out to their audiences and spread their art.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/24/AR2011022407296.html
The survey results also mention that 18 percent of adults used mobile devices and the internet to access classical music, while 15% of adults accessed Latin music through these avenues. It is worth noting how new media has expanded people’s access and reach to the arts. Arts organizations need to leverage social and upcoming media to reach out to their audiences and spread their art.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/24/AR2011022407296.html
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Collaboration with Non-Arts Groups Good for the Arts
The Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which has been mentioned in several posts, recently launched Legacy Destination weekends that will be held throughout the year to showcase projects and organizations that have received funding through the amendment. Each month, one community in the state will feature activities such as arts performances, fishing tournaments, tours of historic buildings and towns, trail walks, and other activities held by organizations that have been supported by the amendment. The weekends, which are being organized by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Conservation Minnesota, Explore Minnesota Tourism and local community groups, are an opportunity to celebrate the amendment and also showcase how the fund has helped improve the state’s outdoors and arts and cultural assets.
While the amendment is still in its infancy, having been passed in 2008, there is still the need for public awareness to show how the funds have been used to benefit the state so far. This comes at a time when Minnesota is facing a $6.2 billion budget deficit and legislators are looking for any ways they can to fill the gap – including impeding on the Legacy Amendment (despite the wording of the law that says amendment funds “must supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes and may not be used as a substitute”). While this is a serious concern, the good news is that there are many different types of stakeholders who came together to pass this amendment and who would be willing to defend it.
Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment is a good example of how to bring together multiple interest groups to help reach a common goal – supporting the organizations and projects that make a place special. This is why several Ohio organizations are looking at doing the same type of thing in the state. And this same type of collaboration can be used in Cincinnati’s discussions on how to brand the city – it can’t just be about the arts or baseball or the parks or Fountain Square. But it can be all of these and more.
When talking about what makes a place unique, it seems that arts messages have a better chance of being heard when they are built into a larger dialogue with other types of advocates (whether it be the environmental folks or historical supporters or others). Ohio seems to be on the right track and hopefully Cincinnati will take note.
Sources:
http://exploreminnesota.com/travel-ideas/legacy/index.aspx
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/statewide/archive/2011/02/legislators-eye-legacy-fund-to-balance-budget.shtml
http://www.theamendment.org
City Council Meeting
I attended the city council meeting on February 16th. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend a meeting that pertained specifically to the arts. This meeting was perhaps not the best to judge the city council by as it was very brief and did not go into detailed discussion on the items. Roxanne Qualls, the vice mayor of Cincinnati, ran the meeting. It began with resolutions to honor two citizens. David Allen was honored for his work as music director at St. Williams church since 1961 and a "David Allen" day was proclaimed. So at least the arts were mentioned in some small way! Then the recently deceased Roberta McClain was recognized for her work in Cincinnati and her widower was given a certificate in honor of her. While these recognitions were very nice, they seemed like empty gestures made in front of an almost empty room just for the council members to be able to say that they honor local citizens.
she had gone, on a bathroom break or been called away for a moment, but she came back and there was a call to re-consider. With her there the motion did pass. Item 27 was a motion to help the Clifton IGA work with local tax officials to be able to re-open. A council member made a speech imploring the passage of this motion by talking about the 50 jobs that would be restored if IGA could re-open. It did pass. The meeting was wrapped up with announcements by committees about upcoming meetings and birthdays.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)