Groups want to see increased accessibility to the arts throughout community
As famed Israeli sculptor, Yaacov Agam said, “There are two distinct languages. There is the verbal, which separates people and there is the visual that is understood by everybody,” and Healdsburg wants more of that visual connectivity through the arts, at least as reported by the official SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) and Healdsburg 2040 report, which was released in late November.
The arts and culture topic is only one section in the lengthy report which was formulated after the SDAT team held a series of community workshops earlier this year to discuss current Healdsburg issues such as connectivity, affordable housing and tourism.
While the arts and culture section of the report is also a bit dense in nature there are few key takeaways regarding the arts scene in Healdsburg. The report found there is a desire to increase equitable access, participation and connectivity to the arts both performing, literary and visual through increased public art, art programs and collaborative art activities, studio spaces and an online catalogue of all ongoing arts activities.
“At the SDAT public meetings, community responses reflected strong support for the arts and culture, recognized its value to residents and visitors and expressed the desire to see greater access to the arts from diverse members of the community,” the report stated.
A Healdsburg 2040 workgroup met last week to discuss the report’s findings also found similar results and said a vision for the arts in Healdsburg should include more of a variety of art and funding for the arts.
For Gina Riner, a member of the SDAT steering committee and executive director of Healdsburg Jazz, seeing a fresh desire for the arts is a plus as Healdsburg’s art scene was recently revitalized after the city saw a shift in demographics.
“Forty years ago there was a (small desire) to be involved in Anglo and Latino arts and culture but then it dropped off and the community was just a working class community,” Riner said. “In the last 20 years there has been a demographic shift from the working middle class to tourists and then food and wine came (and some more art galleries). Now, we have a different and diverse scene.”
And while Riner said this shift has left some longtime residents disenfranchised she has high hopes that increased art will become the “glue that can help bind the community back together.”
“Art is unifying, inspiring, beautifying and a shared experience,” Riner said.
So just how can Healdsburg reach these goals of increased equal access and connectivity to the arts? Well for now, there’s no succinct answer yet said George Lawson, a member of the Healdsburg 2040 arts and culture section.
Lawson said before the group can take on the task of working towards actionable solutions, the group has to figure out what the purpose of art in the community is and which SDAT finding they want to hone in on.
“We need to decide what the real mission is and what the purpose of art in the community is,” Lawson said. “The findings/ideas in the SDAT are more tactical then they are strategic, so I think stating a purpose like expressing our community values through art (is important) before developing a strategy.”
Lawson added, “We as a community need to go through the right process for shaping the future of arts in our community.”
And while creating more public art and equal access to the arts may still be a long ways away in Healdsburg’s future, Lawson said there are currently several art programs that work to share the arts with the community.
Lawson cited the community public art policy, which was adopted by the council in 2007, a mandate that approves art to be placed in public places throughout town. The city also has a temporary arts display program with the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation, the same program that placed the now famous, missing 21-foot hammer sculpture by Healdsburg artist Doug Unkrey.
Then of course there’s Healdsburg Jazz’s yearly festival, ongoing art classes at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts, the Art After Dark program and regular shows by the Raven Performing Arts Theatre. “There are a number of things being done to encourage art in our community,” Lawson said. “But we need a better and expanded public art (display) plan and we need a new performing arts center.”
And that is where the SDAT’s suggestions of studio spaces, public art and art programs comes in. While the working group has not yet reached the step of brainstorming ways to accomplish the community suggestions, the report did offer up a few ideas on how the group could get started.
“Create an ongoing forum to facilitate communication and collaboration within the arts and culture sector. Invite artists, art organizations and community leaders to participate… the goal is to have more communication within the sector, which could lead to collaboration, shared services and more,” the report stated. Also, “Engage a consultant or work with existing City of Healdsburg staff to develop a study to measure the social, economic and other impacts of the arts and culture sector.”
The report also pointed to creating an action plan for a new, indoor performing arts venue and a livable studio space for artists of all career levels. It also added that in order to get started on these action plans the working group should identify funding streams.
Despite the fact that this behemoth plan and flurry of ideas may be a lot to take on, and very well may not be accomplished for several years, both Lawson and Rine said continuing to work towards these goals of increased art and access to art is important.
Lawson said, “As we develop our (long-term) strategy it doesn’t mean we won’t stop considering all of these suggestions. And while we have a number of things going, we want arts (to keep) flourishing.”
