My commitment to the arts in SLP

Opening night party for the Our Town: Faces & Places project in 2006.

​One of the most memorable projects I ever worked on was during my tenure as Managing Director for St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts. The project was called “Our Town: Faces & Places” and its purpose was to connect people – across age, gender, cultural & racial backgrounds – through photography. The nine-week teaching project culminated in a packed opening night party at Excelsior & Grand, attended by a diverse gathering of the amateur photographers’ family members and friends, along with the mayor and other city leaders. It was, from a community building perspective, a success.
 
Many communities, including ours, recognize the value the arts bring to community life. Our annual budget includes $40,000 for Friends of the Arts (FOTA) to promote the arts and offer activities for residents. This summer, FOTA hosted a “Unity Sing” that attracted an intergenerational crowd of more than 200 residents to sing together on a beautiful July evening at Wolfe Park. With only modest support from the city, FOTA has been building social capital in St. Louis Park for more than 20 years. I think it’s been a worthwhile investment.
 
The arts are also a powerful economic engine. A recent study by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts showed the economic impact of the arts in Minnesota is about $2 billion annually. The study also zeroed in on St. Louis Park and found $1.5 million in economic impact in our community alone, including $164,000 in government revenues, each year.
 
I believe the arts can transform lives, economies, and communities. A recent article in the Star Tribune told the story of how Fergus Falls, MN experienced just such a transformation, bringing state and federal grant money, along with a renewed sense of optimism and energy, to a changing town.
 
As your Ward 1 City Council member, I’ll work with other city leaders to identify ways we can increase the social and economic impact of the arts in our own community, for the benefit of all. Partnering with FOTA and other arts organizations, and with a fiscally responsible mindset, I’d like us to explore:

• Creating unique, dedicated spaces for the arts, like Maggie’s Farm Theater in the Lenox Community Center
• Partnering to create The Nest, a teen center where our youth can develop their musical talents
• Revitalizing the Historic Walker-Lake area in Ward 1 to be a community arts hub
• Working with the PLACE project developers and residents to fully realize public-private partnerships around the arts
• Partnering with our schools to support more arts learning opportunities for our students
• Fostering healthy aging by supporting programs for seniors built on current research about creativity & aging.

Do you think the arts are important to communities? What is city government’s role in nurturing creative communities and investing in art and artists? Please email me your thoughts.