Our Creative Future…
Front page of the draft cultural plan (available for public review and comments through April 15th)
I became aware that this plan was being developed last year when artist Hannah Newman hosted a community dialogue at Carnation Contemporary seeking feedback from anyone who could attend. Last Friday, I also attended a town hall event introducing the draft plan and opening the public comment period.
I am not at the helm of a large non-profit arts organization, nor am I a major fundraiser. While I consider myself civically engaged, I do not read the city council meeting minutes. Like many artists, I am doing what I can to sustain my creative practice, and I love to support other artists who are trying to do the same. I have lived in Portland full-time since 1999, and I know how much this city prides itself on its creative class.
I had a great time sitting at a table with representatives from RACC, Phame, Write Around Portland, and Outside the Frame! We all enjoyed the fancy patterns and pictures on the draft plan, but we all agreed that there was an undercurrent of unease when it came to transparency and lasting change/action regarding the arts. In truth, many of these things outlined in the plan are already happening throughout the city, and we hope that whoever takes up the mantle from RACC will do a lot of research and outreach into the arts community, including its smallest members before deciding to re-invent the wheel.
Misgivings aside, I did highlight a couple of goals and strategies from the plan that I can get behind. Goal one is about inclusivity…and I think that awareness that exclusivity permeates our culture, and a focus on shifting towards inclusivity is very important. Below each goal is a list of suggested strategies that might help each community achieve the stated goal.
In short…we need more togetherness…
We are all focused (necessarily so) on our projects, our clients, supporters, students, friends, etc. It takes slow, diligent effort (and time! and money!) to build visibility within a community. Could we make that easier? Yes. Did we all kind of forget how to do it during the pandemic? Probably. There is an abundance of creativity and creative people, it is nice to get to know them in meaningful ways…building relationships is slow and steady.
Goal 3 is all about the money, and it’s probably worth a separate blog post. Money is an important factor, and in many cases, the central factor…in creating and sustaining the arts. Affordable space for living and working, living wages, equity, access, etc. There are so many people doing a lot with very little, it would be nice to see that change.
We know this…art makes our brains better in real, tangible, measurable ways. It makes our communities more livable. It improves our mental health and the mental health of our kids.
Concerning Paisley Studios specifically, I believe we are already implementing strategy 5.3, which is a call to develop programs celebrating and supporting inclusive, amateur, community-based creativity throughout the region. I encourage you to look over the plan, and I am more than happy to chat in person about all of this—even the fancy teal to chartreuse fade on the draft title font...
