Panel Rewrites Arts Plan for Town
By Bob Audette, Reformer Staff - July 7, 2009
In an attempt to unify the town's art community and to bridge the gap between it and town government, the Selectboard established an Arts Committee.
In the past few months, the committee's members have been sketching out their charter, which is meant to flesh out their mission to put more art in the town's public spaces. At its June 16 meeting, the board tabled the policy because it was concerned that it would have financial implications for the town.
"There was language in the policy to convey the fact that the town could help us leverage some funds," said Gail Nunziata, a member of the committee. But, she said, the committee knew from the moment that it was formed that the town would not be able to financially support it.
The problem, said Nunziata, was a concern that later on down the road, future members of the committee or the Selectboard might misconstrue the policy and expect financial support for the committee's efforts to get more art into the public's view and to maintain that art once it was put in place.
On Tuesday night, members of the Arts Committee will present a rewritten policy for the board's approval.
The committee took out language that Nunziata admitted was "vague" to address the board's concerns.
The committee is meant to give the town's arts community a unified voice to communicate its issues to the town, said Nunziata, and will serve in a "liaison role."
"There are so many things going on with the arts community in Brattleboro," she said, and the committee will become "a clear link" between the artists and town government.
Even though Brattleboro is already known as an arts community, it can do a better job of advertising that fact, said Nunziata.
"If we coordinate and collaborate better or do more group marketing we can be more effective together."
How the committee will go about presenting a unified voice and what it will do to increase access to the arts is still evolving, she said.
"We're finding our way."
Once its charter is approved, the committee hopes to focus on two projects.
The first would be to take paintings that were originally hung on the exterior walls of the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center -- created by Christopher Irion -- and find public places to hang them.
"The portraits are beautiful and they represent the town."
The second project would be to find ways to get young artists involved in the local arts scene, said Nunziata.
"We have had some wonderful meetings with some of the young adults who are part of the creative strata," said Nunziata. "These are some of the people who were involved in the Tinderbox and who are looking for a new place."
The committee hopes to be an "ally" with the young artists and teach them how to advocate for their cause.
The Arts Committee meets regularly. Its schedule can be found on the town's Web site at www.brattleboro.org.
Other members include Chairman Hugh Keelan, Kate Anderson, Doug Cox, Eugene Uman and Judy Zemel.