Representatives from a newly-formed group promoting the arts in
San Benito County headed to the capitol Wednesday to talk with the
experts about ideas for getting a local arts council off the
ground.
Sacramento – Representatives from a newly-formed group promoting the arts in San Benito County headed to the capitol Wednesday to talk with the experts about ideas for getting a local arts council off the ground.
Local arts advocate Mike Smith, his wife Lynda Pettibone-Smith and San Benito County Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz met with officials from the California Arts Council, which provides resources and limited grants for under-funded and fledgling arts programs throughout the state. And while state funding is scarce for the arts due to budget cuts in recent years, Smith and De La Cruz said they left Sacramento feeling optimistic about the information the CAC had given them.
“The really good news is that they’ve given us a lot of material that I consider to be blueprints for developing a successful program, and that includes identifying your resources and identifying the people you serve,” Smith said Thursday. “There was a discussion about how the funding has been cut back to the (state arts) program and that as a result some programs have basically dwindled or stopped. But some have thrived because they’ve become nonprofit agencies.”
One success story in particular is the arts council in Merced, which the CAC suggested turning to for help.
“Merced County has a very effective arts program that’s not only survived these cutbacks but is thriving,” Smith said, adding he’s already contacted council members from the Merced program for help in achieving the new group’s goals.
Getting an arts center built in Hollister is high on the list of priorities for Smith and the 30-odd arts enthusiasts who attended the informal group’s first meeting last month. They’re hoping a home for the arts would attract tourists and give the county a needed cultural haven, but they need funding, resources and community support to make it happen.
“We asked them (CAC representatives) how we can revive the arts council in San Benito County and they said the first thing we need to do is have the board of supervisors or a local agency adopt a resolution of support,” said De La Cruz. As the unofficial liaison between the arts group and the Board of Supervisors, De La Cruz said he’d be asking the board for a resolution at its May 24 meeting.
Besides getting support from local government and applying for nonprofit status, Smith said the group will also be working on developing professional relationships with local businesses.
“The success of the program is that it’s going to be imperative to make it successful with the business community,” Smith said.
“Basically it has to do with tourism as an up-and-coming industry that the arts compliment – art and wine festivals, music and wine festivals. And that’s what I’ve discovered just sort of talking to people out there is that there are a lot of organizations that have plans for music festivals to compliment their theater program, wine growers have programs, but we’re not all on the same page in terms of organizing,” Smith said. “So I think the first step for a success of an arts council would be a calendar so events aren’t in conflict. So you could have maybe 40 or 50 different events that support the businesses and draw people to San Benito County. It’s all about building community.”
Jessica Quandt covers politics for the Free Lance. Reach her at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or at [email protected].
