[Forum] Meeting Notes & List Discussions

[Diane Sullivan]

I qgree with Greg. Artists need to spend their energy and time making  the 
art that interests them. We don't need to copy Pittsfield but rather 
celebrate all the diverse artists here. I think the galleries and open 
studios have started doing just that. I would love to see some individual 
artists design their own public art projects that would show the comminity 
what we do. However, that has to be the mayor's idea and maybe Ron Bunt 
would help with that??? I would be willing to talk to him. Ron was helpful 
with the North Adams Open Studio event last fall and seems to be supportive 
in general. It's interesting to hear what people think about these topics. 
Keep talking. Thanks Josh!


>From: Joshua Field <joshua at joshuafield.com>
>Reply-To: joshua at joshuafield.com
>To: Kurt Kolok <kurt at kolokgallery.com>
>CC: FORUM <forum at berkshirevisualarts.org>
>Subject: Re: [Forum] Meeting Notes & List Discussions
>Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:40:29 -0500
>
>i have a topic that i would love to hear thoughts on. lately, it feels like 
>pittsfield is kicking north county's (depending on where you draw that 
>line) butt in the promotion of all things cultural. some think this to be 
>largely attributable to the the great job that Megan Whilden is doing 
>running the "cultural pittsfield" initiative and the buy-in of their city 
>government (the cultural council grant of $65 two years ago, the $40k last 
>year and $50k year toward that initiative can't hurt either!). my 
>question/topics for the group:
>
>1) is it okay that pittsfield take the lead in promoting the berkshires as 
>a cultural destination? should there be a similar effort in north county? 
>should the effort be berkshire-wide? whose job is it anyway??
>
>2) north adams may be home to mass moca, the eclipse mill, gallery 51, a 
>burgeoning arts community and soon an arts focused program at mcla - but 
>how does this fit under a broader umbrella that is something people outside 
>of this community will understand/appreciate/be drawn to?
>
>my feeling is that ,while north county has the advantage of number of large 
>arts organizations (moca, the clark, wcma/williams, mcla) who often 
>cooperate, the arts community and smaller organizations seems to have a 
>hard time breaking into that group (due to lack of coordination, funds, 
>etc?) in order to take advantage of big summer marketing initiatives, group 
>grants, etc. i personally feel that we would really benefit from someone in 
>a role like megan's with buy-in from local gov't.
>
>if you aren't comfortable sending responses to the group, feel free to send 
>them directly to me and i'll try to synthesize.
>
>thanks!!
>
>--
>
>// www.joshuafield.com
>// joshua at joshuafield.com
>// +1 [413] 329-4789
>// 121 Union Street, Studio 1E
>// North Adams, MA 01247 USA
>
>
>Kurt Kolok wrote:
>>I think we could accomplish a great deal more if we have some of these 
>>discussions online (on this list-serve).
>>
>>I sent out a message a couple of weeks ago with a suggestion on how we 
>>might actually begin to make some progress on achieving some of our goals 
>>(first by identifying what they might be) and only noticed one response.  
>>It may be that many of you have never used something like this for a 
>>discussion tool.  I think it's critical that we literally record that type 
>>of information to begin putting words into action and I think it's much 
>>easier to do that via email than in person.  It is my opinion that if 
>>we're to accomplish any long term/community-wide goals we need to be 
>>communicating between meetings and social gatherings.  With this forum, we 
>>can do that whenever each of us has the time.
>>
>>To take full advantage of this great opportunity driven by Joshua Field's 
>>generosity...we should remind ourselves what the definition of a forum 
>>is...
>>
>>--the center of judicial and business affairs and a place of assembly for 
>>the people.
>>--an assembly, meeting place, television program, etc., for the discussion 
>>of questions of public interest.
>>
>>Food for thought,
>>
>>Kurt
>
>
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