Band Aid a Solution to Arts and Culture Funding?

NDDC Downtown Forum

ArtsNCultureForumCoffeeKlatching.jpgOkeh, I ran with Dixon Bond’s pun for the title of my post on today’s NDDC Downtown Forum. Paul Niemisto cited the 1904 Iowa Band Law as a possible tool for strengthening art and culture in Northfield, Dixon made a joke and I’m keeping it going. I’ll blame it on the cookies.

Well over two dozen people showed up this morning, including Arts and Culture Commission members, members of the Northfield Arts Guild Board of Directors, members of the Northfield Historical Society Board of Directors, and current and hopeful political leaders, to share their ideas on arts and culture in our community. It was a continuation of a discussion that has already begun, in many parts of our community, will be further explored Sunday night at Politics and a Pint, and reach its dramatic climax at the Arts and Culture Commission’s Candidate Forum on October 2nd.

For those who are interested but were unable to attend, here are the raw comments from the discussion this morning:

  1. Compartmentalize Jobs – Functional Specialization
  2. Take Communal Responsibility for Events and Promotion
  3. Need an On-Going Contact Point for Information/Coordination
  4. Arts/Culture Cannot be Just Event-Driven; Need On-Going Support System for Art Town
  5. Can’t be Totally Dependent on Volunteers; Paid Staff Necessary for Continuity and Avoiding Burn-Out
  6. Our Events are somewhat Shaped by our Human Asset Base
  7. We are an Art Town, We Just Need to Win Outside Notice
  8. Long-Term Success Depends on Systematically Dividing Up Tasks
  9. Increase Awareness of On-Going Activities/Events
  10. Need an Informational Hub
  11. Reinforce Volunteer Ranks
  12. Address Split and/or Balance between being an Arts Destination or an Arts Incubator
  13. Need a Vibrant Web Presence for Arts and Culture
  14. What Do Working Artists Need?
  15. Need to Support Sales, Attract Customers for Artists
  16. Continue to Pursue Elusive Community Calendar
  17. Increase CVB Leverage of the Arts
  18. Address Split and/or Balance between Public vs. Private Support of the Arts
  19. Remember the Northfield Craft Alliance from the 1970s
  20. Dedicate a Percentage of City’s Funds for the Arts
  21. October 2nd Unveiling of Harvest Sculpture/A & C Commission Candidate Forum
  22. Arts and Culture Candidates Forum
  23. Need to Recognize More than Just the “Splashes”
  24. Need Technical Facilitation Not Hindrance
  25. Include Art Forms of All Cultures
  26. Convince the Council that Art & Culture are Worth the Investment
  27. Better Integrate the Efforts of the Colleges into the Community
  28. Loss of Community Resources Threatens the Arts
  29. Think of Visibly Impactive Art
  30. Free Up Time from Fund-Raising
  31. Remember/Revisit the 1904 Iowa Band Law
  32. Growing Working Artists Requires Money
  33. Regulations Can Be Road-Blocks
  34. College Students as a Source of Funding – Sales Tax?
  35. Get More Leverage from the Library
  36. Faculty Spouses’ Frustration Resulted in Arts Guild
  37. Regionalize Solutions
  38. EDA Supports NEC Supports Artists
  39. Learn from Other Communities
  40. The City Supports Arts with the Showmobile