Editorial

All great places to live share many common traits and one of
these is the “celebration of the arts.” Healdsburg, as we all know,
is no exception. This fact was reaffirmed last week at The
Tribune’s community forum on “Bringing the Arts to Healdsburg,”
held at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts.
Participants shared the many ways we celebrate the arts in our
schools, galleries, businesses, non-profits, theaters and
festivals. The assembled panelists also agreed there are many
greater ways to expand our local “art celebrations.”
Like our world-class wines, Sonoma-made foods and cheeses and
our standing as a popular visitor destination, forum participants
last week challenged that Healdsburg could also be a world-class
“art destination” with a large festival and expanded venues —
possibly an art academy.
At the core of Healdsburg’s art happenings must come added
appreciation by more of us, continued art education programs in our
schools and new collaborations by our various art entities, the
panelists also said.
Last week’s panel consisted of Kara Raymond, chair of the
non-profit board for the Healdsburg Center for the Arts (HCA); Jill
Plamann, owner of Hammerfriar Art Gallery; Gloria Hersch, chair of
the Healdsburg Jazz Festival; and Carol Noack, board member of the
Raven Performing Arts Theater.
They compared Healdsburg to communities such as Marin’s
Sausalito, Ashland, Oregon and Park City, Utah who host city-wide
art festivals each year. “We can do this,” said Raymond. “We should
be doing this.” The HCA will hold a fifth annual one-day Healdsburg
Arts Festival in the Plaza on Saturday, Sept. 24. Last year’s
festival attracted 75 artists, limited by space available in the
town square. But Raymond and others said Healdsburg could host a
multiple-day festival with many more visiting artists and related
attractions including music and food.
“We are known for our jazz festival as a world-class
destination,” said Hersch. “Every June when we have our festival,
the jazz world stops and comes here.” (This year’s 13th annual
festival is June 3-12.) The same impact could be made in the visual
arts world, the panelists said. “Healdsburg should be a world-class
arts destination,” said Plamann.
At the forum last week, several of the panelists dreamed of a
larger, more permanent location for celebrating the arts. Audience
member Virginia Bynum shared a vision to add an artist live/work
“village” at the central Healdsburg NuForest location, currently
being studied by the city government to create a comprehensive land
use framework.
Consultants for that study, called the Central Healdsburg Avenue
Special Study Area (CHASSA) recently included an “arts and trades
district” as one of three “alternative futures” for the 80-acre
site targeted for redevelopment or an urban renaissance. Envisioned
were large live/work studios that could accommodate individual
artists, collectives, small manufacturing and possibly an arts or
educational institution.
Whatever the vision or location, Healdsburg’s artists and
organizations will need to share resources and planning — perhaps
in more formal structures to create a “Healdsburg Art Vision.” Any
such process should also include representatives from the local
lodging, restaurant and other business clusters. The City of
Healdsburg and chamber of commerce should be asked to continue and
perhaps expand their generous support for “celebrating” all of
Healdsburg’s arts.
“As long as we nurture the next generation the arts are going to
thrive here,” said The Raven’s Noack at the forum. “Well — two
things — donate whenever you can.”
“Art, wine and all that jazz;” what more could you ask for? How
about “made in Healdsburg?”
— Rollie Atkinson