Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 28, 1994 TAG: 9403290005
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But, more than a culmination and situation report, its purpose is to serve as a beginning: to provide a catalyst for discussion about where the valley's arts-culture community should be going - and how it can get there - during the rest of the '90s.
"By the year 2000," the document says, "the Roanoke region will be known as a pre-eminent cultural center of Virginia and a major cultural center along the Blue Ridge Parkway."
The blueprint is less adventurous and frank than it might be, which is no surprise. It's a political document, fine-tuned to win consensus among numerous, disparate arts and cultural groups, most of which are well-practiced at defending territory and prerogatives.
Even so, the goal it sets forth could move events and people toward a good purpose. As "Blueprint 2000" helpfully points out, the Roanoke Valley will need at least three things to realize the vision:
More collaboration among arts and culture organizations - to enhance their offerings by getting both more bucks and more bang for the bucks they do get.
There is some collaboration already, of course; in some cases, such as the recent administrative merger of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and the Roanoke Valley Choral Society, informal collaboration has evolved into mutually helpful formal agreement. Development of Center in the Square a decade and a half ago put five agencies of disparate disciplines under one roof, where physical proximity encourages synergistic benefits.
But there could be much more. Among the good ideas in "Blueprint 2000": a central box office to sell tickets to the full array of the valley's arts and culture offerings; a "culture card" with reduced-price admission to several different kinds of activities; joint fund-raising campaigns; sharing of grants-writing and other expertise, which can be of particular value to smaller organizations; and coordination in the scheduling of capital projects for arts and culture facilities.
Broader racial and socio-economic participation in the valley's arts and culture scene.
Racially, the report found, African Americans are underrepresented both in valley audiences and among valley artists. That could be helped with more varied programming and venues.
But disparities are not only racial. Younger people tend not to make long-range plans, so tend not to buy season tickets. Some people are turned off by their picture of arts and cultural events as stuffily elitist. A possible answer: outdoor productions that allow casual attire and last-minute arrangements. Generally speaking, broadened participation is the cure for many ills.
A higher profile for the arts and culture in this region.
Valley residents, the study found, generally give high marks to the strength of the local cultural scene, but are often unaware of specific organizations and offerings. Regionally and nationally, says "Blueprint 2000," the Roanoke area's cultural vitality is not well-known if known at all. The report calls for development of an arts-culture marketing plan in conjunction with the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Good idea.
The above points are interrelated. Culture cards and central box offices, for example, could help broaden the demographic mix of Roanoke audiences. Marketing plans depend on the quality of the products or services they market. And the future quality of the valley's arts and culture may depend, in part, on how ready are the arts and culture groups to risk some of their autonomy in pursuit of the goal they say they want.
by CNB