SAC and Union

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Recent monthly newsletters from the Somerville Arts Council have focused more and more on Union Square, but the one that came today has me genuinely upset. Every, every every project they're doing this fall is either in Union Square, or about Union Square. Many festivals and events, 100% of them in Union Square and I could have lived with that, but now a cookbook devoted exclusively to recipes using the foods of the markets and farm market of Union Square. Davis Square market and farm market products can now go rot, apparently.

If you haven't seen the newsletter, shoot me an e-mail and I'll forward it to you.

I'm supposed to be on one of their panels to review Somerville arts grant proposals next month, and I'm not feeling good about it. If I'm told to give preferential treatment to artists/groups from Union or any other specific neighborhood, I'm walking.

I am glad that Union Square is flourishing and growing, and I'm happy for the residents and artists who live there and are making it great. But a publicly funded arts council that is supposed to be promoting the arts throughout the entire city of Somerville should be promoting the arts throughout the entire city of Somerville, IMO. Do we need to form our own Davis Square arts organization?



EDIT: This matter got some clarification below. SAC received a grant that was specifically for Union Square, and they're using it now. They weren't removing focus from other neighborhoods.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I think one ArtBeat equals 8 or so ArtsUnion events, both in scale and in the number of attendees. So that doesn't bother me too much, though I see your point about the cookbook and farmers' market.

I'd be more concerned if I lived somewhere that was neither Davis nor Union square, as those two places are getting all of the attention and events. Somewhere like Winter Hill, or Magoun Square, or East Somerville.

(By the way, you tagged this with "somerville arts council" which is a brand-new tag. It would take a while to go back and find all the old posts that mention SAC, if that's what you really want.)

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about the the neighborhoods that get little attention. If Davis is going to lose arts promotion focus, I'd rather it be to many neighborhoods that need it, not just one new favorite.

tagging

[julishka.livejournal.com]

no one is asking anyone to go back and tag old entries, but doesn't it make sense to have appropriate tags going forward?

seems logical to me. if it were my entry, i'd tag it: somerville arts council, union square, rants

Re: tagging

[derekp.livejournal.com]

It seems to me that tags are being used more as categories here. It's nice that Ron is maintaining a list of commonly used tags, but that shouldn't stop people from adding other tags they thing are appropriate.

Re: tagging

[julishka.livejournal.com]

agreed. ron did a great job with the older stuff. i think if someone feels like fleshing out older posts with newer tags going forward that's awesome, but not necessarily necessary.

Re: tagging

[ron_newman]

Sounds good to me. I'll look through "arts" and "events" for other things that should be tagged as "somerville arts council" or "union square".

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling that some of the Union Square focus comes as backlash against so much previously Davis-centric stuff.

I agree that part of what the Arts Council should aim for when soliciting grant proposals and reviewing them is including many areas of the city.

[beowabbit]

Seems like you being on a panel is much more likely to help than you not being on a panel. I hope you can make a difference! Love you, sweetie!

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

I used to be on the SAC board and have served on different grant panels during my tenure, and I can assure you that NO ONE on the Arts Council is going to ask any panelists to give Union Sq artists/groups or any other neighborhood preferential treatment.

The Arts Union programming is funded by the Masschusetts Cultural Council's Adams Arts Program.

from the MCC website:
"The MCC's Adams Arts Program for the Creative Economy recognizes the pivotal role that [the arts] sector plays in Massachusetts. Tapping into our state's wealth of cultural assets, the Adams Program funds projects that create jobs and income, revitalize downtowns, and draw visitors. The program inspires innovative, progressive, and systemic approaches to economic development in communities across Massachusetts.

The MCC's investment through the Adams Program has brought together cross-sections of stakeholders to achieve economic and community goals. Past initiatives have demonstrated a track record of success in contributing to economic growth and inspiring urban renewal."

The Arts Council produces other events and programs that take place at different times of the year and focus on different neighborhoods: ArtBeat (Davis Sq), Art In a Garden (summer program fory city's kids at the Growing Center), Illuminations Tour (East Somerville/Winer Hill). The Windows Art Project got its start in Davis Square and had a great multi-year run.

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Oh, I also want to add (my former board membership notwithstanding) that I enjoyed serving on a panel: reading the applications and support materials, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of applications with my fellow panelists, deciding how to allocate the grant $. It was exciting to read about all the projects and ideas taking shape. It's a good process.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

That's reassuring, thanks. I do want to enjoy serving, and to be able to do so without ethical compromise (which, from what you say, I can do). It's good to hear the feedback of someone who has served before, so thanks.

[julishka.livejournal.com]

it was a lot of SAC focus on davis square that helped bring people to see what a resource davis was and shape the square into what it is today. having moved to the davis area just before someday even opened, i can say that their efforts over the years there has really made a difference.

i think it's great that they're focusing on the union square area now. it's making a difference in the community and bringing people together & helping to make union awesome, as they did with davis.

but i do hope that you exercise your opinion on the board. i would hope they'd not ask people to favor union square artists and events over other projects and support for more art/events in more places is always good.

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

Hmm ... do you have a link for how to submit a grant proposal? I'm interested, and I live in Porter. :)

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Here it is:

http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/grants/

Some context

[wobblymusic.livejournal.com]

I'm a current member of the Somerville Arts Council board and I think that, before you get upset over a newsletter, you ought to learn more about the SAC so that you can put things into context.

The reason arts councils in Massachusetts cities and towns exist -- their "raison d'etre" -- is to award grant money passed onto them by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Some cities and towns, like Somerville, do more than that, putting on occasional arts events.

Up until a few years ago, the SAC helped organize only a few programs each year: ArtBeat (July in Davis Square), the Illuminations Tour (December, mostly in East Somerville & Union Sq.), the Windows Art Project (originally in Davis, but moved to Union Square a few years ago), and the Art Without Walls projects (youth programs mostly in East Somerville).

In 2005, the SAC received a grant for ArtsUnion -- a grant that has been renewed the past two years. The purpose of the grant is to provide funding for a series of cultural events/performances, conduct weekend craft markets and cultural tours, commission local artisans to design streetscape furniture, etc. These events could not happen in other parts of the city because the grant money is specifically targeted for Union Square.

Nearly every item in the most recent newsletter (including the cookbook) is related to one such Arts Union event -- Project YUM, taking place on Oct. 13. The fact is, if it weren't for the Arts Union events, we probably wouldn't publish a newsletter at all since there would be very little to talk about!

More information about each of the various events I mentioned above is at the SAC website (http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/).

Re: Some context

[ron_newman]

I love your newsletters, but could you please put them on the SAC website as well as mailing them out? Thanks.

Re: Some context

[wobblymusic.livejournal.com]

Good idea, Ron. I'll look into it.

Re: Some context

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this clarification. I didn't know about the Union-specific grant, and I feel a lot better about everything now that I do know.

Re: Some context

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

It might be helpful to edit your post to reflect that more clearly--the text inside your LJ-cut is pretty inflammatory, especially in light of the information shared here.

Re: Some context

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I really meant that you might "edit the text inside your LJ-cut" for the benefit of the casual browser. Or not; it's just that it doesn't seem to reflect your current point of view accurately.