[00:00:51.320] Good evening, I'm Cynthia Watts [00:00:53.600] and welcome to the Arts in Durham. [00:00:55.360] I have with my guests this evening in studio [00:00:57.957] Jim McIntyre, [00:00:59.000] Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council, [00:01:01.880] and Danielle Withrow, the Associate Director of the Durham Arts Council. [00:01:06.200] Prior to asking Mr. McIntyre and Miss Withrow to explain to us [00:01:11.560] the functions of the Durham Arts Council [00:01:14.114] I got intrigued and very interested [00:01:16.760] in their backgrounds when I was doing research for this program. [00:01:19.880] And prior to that, I would like to share with you their backgrounds. [00:01:23.440] I found that both of you have very extensive backgrounds in the field of art. [00:01:28.960] You've been involved, Jim, in the community arts program [00:01:31.880] throughout North Carolina, throughout the United States. [00:01:34.840] You're a graduate of Duke University [00:01:36.560] and day after graduation became [00:01:38.957] Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council. [00:01:41.080] You've been with the Council now for eight years. [00:01:43.040] You've studied in New York. [00:01:44.440] You studied at Harvard. [00:01:45.760] Both of you have studied abroad. [00:01:47.920] And I found that your backgrounds are very, very interesting. [00:01:50.720] I thought that the audience should know that [00:01:52.757] the Durham Arts Council staff has such tremendous people [00:01:56.680] with such a vast background in the arts that I wanted [00:02:00.280] to share that background first with our audience [00:02:02.941] and tell them some of the things [00:02:04.080] that you have been involved and you have been doing. [00:02:07.240] I don't want to stereotype you or label you [00:02:10.186] or categorize you in any way, [00:02:12.120] but both of you seem to be crusaders of the arts. [00:02:16.920] [laughs] [00:02:18.880] It seems that professionally [00:02:21.543] both of you have been involved in the arts [00:02:23.600] since graduating from institutions of higher education. [00:02:27.880] Jim you've studied in Paris and Switzerland. [00:02:31.120] Danielle, you've studied in New Zealand. [00:02:33.960] And you have traveled to six continents [00:02:36.800] and 49 states of the United States, which I found very interesting. [00:02:42.000] Danielle, you were with the Blue Ridge Arts Council [00:02:44.800] prior to coming to the Durham Arts Council. [00:02:46.960] You were Director of the Goldsboro Arts Council [00:02:50.520] and now you are Associate Director of the Durham Arts Council. [00:02:53.360] And you have been with the Arts Council for two years. [00:02:56.640] I would like to say to both of you that I [00:02:58.960] did enjoy reading both of your biographies. [00:03:01.600] And I think that you have done a vast [00:03:04.680] research with the Durham Arts Council, [00:03:07.457] being involved in the Arts Council, [00:03:08.960] in the community services that you have provided [00:03:11.371] for the Durham Arts Council. [00:03:12.760] And we want to talk about some of those things, [00:03:14.800] but I commend both of you on your backgrounds. [00:03:17.000] I found them very, very intriguing. [00:03:19.640] Jim, first, I would like to talk with you. [00:03:22.102] As Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council and then its [00:03:24.960] director for the past eight years. [00:03:28.120] Let's share with the audience the history of the Durham Arts Council. [00:03:31.360] I know the Arts Council through [00:03:33.329] the 25 years of existence has gone through [00:03:35.960] some major changes, name changes, and moves, [00:03:38.686] and some progression. [00:03:40.040] So let's share some of those with the Arts Council. [00:03:42.600] - [Jim] Certainly Cynthia. [00:03:43.760] I think the history of the Durham Arts Council itself is not [00:03:48.040] unlike the history of many community arts agencies in the country. [00:03:51.960] We do have that distinction of being one of the oldest community councils. [00:03:56.320] Winston-Salem founded the first council and Durham [00:04:00.557] followed shortly thereafter. [00:04:02.560] Originally in 1954, there were a few community groups, [00:04:06.520] three to be exact. [00:04:07.760] All of which were raising funds separately [00:04:10.480] and dealing with the problems of space, housing, [00:04:14.480] and necessary resources on their own. [00:04:17.560] They formed an organization originally called United Arts. [00:04:21.000] That was the beginning of [00:04:23.100] the Durham Arts Council as we know it today. [00:04:25.880] In 1956, they occupied the old Watts Home [00:04:31.440] on Duke Street, a donation from George Watts Hill, Senior. [00:04:35.840] The council was located there until 1961. [00:04:39.600] We saw the beginning of arts classes [00:04:42.986] and additional community groups. [00:04:46.600] Somewhere in the 60s and not unlike, [00:04:49.329] as I say, other community arts groups, [00:04:51.640] the Arts Council faced some very serious problems. [00:04:54.400] I personally analyzed those problems [00:04:57.300] when I came to the council and saw that [00:04:59.480] it was a mixture of management [00:05:02.000] and lack of financial support. [00:05:05.200] The council almost went out of business in 1968 and '69, [00:05:10.120] but there was a tremendous rally on the part of the community. [00:05:12.840] There were individuals who are still [00:05:15.000] supporters of the council who gave freely of their time and freely of their money. [00:05:19.080] Harry Van Straaten, a prominent Durham businessman, [00:05:23.000] became interested at that point [00:05:25.171] and raised approximately $40,000 [00:05:28.200] in a two week period of time to literally salvage [00:05:30.286] the organization that was then known as Allied Arts. [00:05:35.120] With dedicated volunteers [00:05:37.360] they put the organization back on its feet [00:05:40.600] and in 1970 hired an executive director. [00:05:44.760] Then I shortly followed in 1971 when I began [00:05:49.760] my administration of the council [00:05:51.586] and since then we have taken an approach [00:05:54.440] that has been a little bit different than [00:05:56.920] what preceded 1970. [00:05:59.957] And that was to look at the community as a whole, [00:06:02.200] not to look solely at the arts resources that existed [00:06:06.440] but to look at the total community, [00:06:08.757] all of the backgrounds that we see [00:06:10.240] from the kinds of people who make up a community, [00:06:12.480] the interest of the community, and then seek to serve that population [00:06:17.120] based on the premise [00:06:18.986] that arts opportunities are not a privilege. [00:06:21.800] They are not [00:06:23.480] merely for those who can pay large fees for tickets. [00:06:27.880] They're not merely for people who even are inclined [00:06:30.400] or able to travel to a center [00:06:32.560] to participate, but should be available to everyone [00:06:36.880] without hassle, so to speak. [00:06:40.040] Based on that premise, we have developed a number of programs [00:06:43.400] and expanded the base of the Council activities. [00:06:47.360] And it's been very rewarding. [00:06:48.640] It's rewarding to the point that [00:06:50.471] we are looked at throughout the country in many ways [00:06:53.520] as a national model for community arts programing. [00:06:56.400] And I think that it is a matter of being [00:06:59.240] sensitive to the constituency that we serve. [00:07:02.560] Arts councils, I feel, have to be [00:07:05.840] almost an organic kind of institution. [00:07:09.871] Organic in the sense that they must be [00:07:12.280] able to respond almost daily to the community needs. [00:07:15.600] And those needs change constantly. [00:07:17.520] It's not a set pattern that we can therefore be satisfied with a set [00:07:23.120] kind of service that we offer. [00:07:25.280] We have to be flexible. [00:07:26.840] We have to be open and listening to what [00:07:28.960] the community itself is saying [00:07:30.914] about its cultural background and the way we can support it [00:07:34.160] and provide incentive in some cases for the development of new programs. [00:07:39.680] Thank you, Jim. [00:07:40.360] Briefly, give us the purpose of the Durham Arts Council. [00:07:43.440] - [Jim] It's a simple matter to state the purpose. [00:07:48.240] The purpose of the Arts Council is to make [00:07:50.500] people feel better about themselves, [00:07:53.400] to make people feel better about themselves through creative activities. [00:07:57.560] I think if we analyze some of the [00:08:00.360] trends in psychology [00:08:02.229] we hear more and more people talking about [00:08:04.360] self-esteem issues and how we perceive ourselves. [00:08:09.080] I know of no better way to increase one's [00:08:12.120] self-esteem than through a creative activity. [00:08:14.880] Now, this then transcends beyond just the individual. [00:08:18.480] The individual is at the heart of any community, [00:08:20.760] but individuals then make up neighborhoods. [00:08:23.520] They make up cities as a whole. [00:08:25.960] It seems that the Arts Council and arts programs [00:08:29.360] creative activities have a way of cutting across barriers. [00:08:33.000] Barriers that divide communities, [00:08:35.057] racial barriers, economic barriers. [00:08:37.800] In Durham, for instance, the town and gown separation [00:08:41.057] is beautifully bridged [00:08:42.720] by the interaction of the university community with the rest [00:08:46.080] of the community through creative programs. [00:08:48.680] So we are there to make people feel better about themselves, [00:08:52.200] about their neighborhoods, [00:08:53.400] about the community in which they live through creative activities. [00:08:57.160] This, of course, goes through public schools, [00:08:59.320] senior centers, prisons, hospitals, nursing homes. [00:09:03.400] And that particular premise upon which we operate [00:09:07.800] is applicable to every individual that lives in Durham County. [00:09:12.400] I would like to say that Durham should be very proud of its Arts Council. [00:09:15.480] You're doing some wonderful things there. [00:09:17.840] Danielle, I would like to ask you to [00:09:20.314] first share with us the auspices [00:09:22.560] of the Durham Arts Council, the things that it gets involved in. [00:09:27.000] - [Danielle] Right. We have, as Jim mentioned, [00:09:29.880] a great number of programs [00:09:31.743] that reach out to every segment of the community. [00:09:35.160] These were started back in the early 70s [00:09:38.686] and they've continued to grow and expand [00:09:41.600] and will continue to grow and expand for many years to come. [00:09:45.240] We've just begun to touch the surface of [00:09:49.000] providing creative activities for the entire population throughout Durham. [00:09:54.560] Some of the programs that we are running, [00:09:56.543] our Neighborhood Taproots program for instance, [00:09:59.160] we've been working in 17 different neighborhoods [00:10:02.550] throughout Durham [00:10:03.520] with creative activities, performances, workshops. [00:10:07.320] We work with a lot of different ages, adults and [00:10:10.771] teenagers, with our programs. [00:10:14.160] We have a senior citizen program [00:10:16.286] which is co-sponsored by [00:10:18.060] the Coordinating Council for Senior Citizens and Durham Tech, [00:10:20.720] which provides [00:10:23.640] arts experiences for older Americans [00:10:26.160] in about six different centers. [00:10:27.957] About 17 classes every session. [00:10:31.040] And these classes range from pottery to weaving to [?], [00:10:36.600] flower arranging and has been has been a very important part [00:10:42.000] of the lives of the senior citizens that go to the different centers. [00:10:46.320] They've just finished making a film on what they [00:10:52.800] remember about Durham as senior citizens [00:10:54.957] and that's just being put together. [00:10:58.320] And it's really exciting the types [00:11:00.160] of creative activities that are being done [00:11:03.129] by the senior citizens. [00:11:05.320] We work, as Jim mentioned, [00:11:07.371] in hospitals and prisons with our access program. [00:11:11.360] We take performances and [00:11:13.943] workshops into these different institutions, [00:11:18.000] again with the idea that creative activities build self-esteem [00:11:23.280] and that is a very important part of what the Arts Council does. [00:11:28.040] We've been running activity days at the Arts Council [00:11:31.714] on teacher work days for the county schools [00:11:34.486] where anywhere from 40 to 140 [00:11:37.440] young people have come for an entire day of activities. [00:11:40.800] We try to respond to whatever [00:11:44.171] the community requests of us. [00:11:46.680] We got a call yesterday from [00:11:48.914] the Red Cross and their blood give in [00:11:51.920] and they want some entertainment [00:11:54.357] and some activities for the young people. [00:11:56.600] And we were right there with the ability [00:11:59.743] to respond to those types of requests. [00:12:03.120] There's very rarely a time that the Arts Council will say [00:12:07.440] to a community organization, no, we can't help you. [00:12:11.200] We don't have the resources. [00:12:12.640] We don't know the people. [00:12:14.440] I don't think that's ever been the case [00:12:16.771] in the two years that I've been here [00:12:18.480] that we've responded with a no to anyone who calls us. [00:12:24.360] Share with us now, the arts assembly. [00:12:27.129] Define for me the difference between [00:12:29.720] an affiliate and an association and who are some of these? [00:12:32.520] Several years ago, as part of the Cultural Action Plan, [00:12:35.960] we did change the makeup and structure of the Arts Council [00:12:41.640] mainly in response to the growing number of arts organizations. [00:12:47.240] For quite a long time there were [00:12:49.400] six to eight major groups, but then suddenly [00:12:53.240] there developed a large number [00:12:56.100] of arts groups such as the Pocket Theater. [00:12:58.760] The Durham Symphony is a relatively new [00:13:01.440] group to the community, the Carrington Community Band. [00:13:04.880] So we felt that we must change the Arts Council structure [00:13:09.680] to be able to serve all the arts institutions [00:13:11.957] and artists in the community. [00:13:13.600] So the Arts Assembly is a forum for [00:13:18.000] arts groups and artists to get together to discuss [00:13:22.800] their common problems, [00:13:24.729] projects that they might be able to work together on. [00:13:28.040] For instance, [00:13:30.120] there is talk of dedication [00:13:32.600] of the Arts Council building and the arts assembly [00:13:35.986] groups really felt like that was [00:13:37.880] a wonderful way that they could get involved with the Arts Council. [00:13:42.000] There are two categories. [00:13:44.240] One is the associate members, [00:13:47.520] which is open to any nonprofit [00:13:50.786] group that's involved any way in the arts. [00:13:52.960] This includes [00:13:54.160] the Senior Citizens Coordinating Council, the recreation department, [00:13:58.640] and a number of other groups that do have arts activities [00:14:02.200] but that's not their primary focus. [00:14:04.480] The affiliates are groups in Durham County that are primarily [00:14:08.843] involved in the arts [00:14:10.040] and that includes the Duke Artists series, [00:14:13.129] the Durham Symphony, the Theater Guild, [00:14:15.760] the Art Guild, the Council for Creative Arts in the Public Schools. [00:14:19.920] And it's very exciting to come [00:14:21.560] to the meetings and listen to discussions about, [00:14:25.300] well, I've got lights. [00:14:26.640] I can help you out with this show. [00:14:28.280] We've got fifteen hundred costumes. [00:14:30.200] Just come over any time. [00:14:31.560] We'll see what we can find. [00:14:33.040] That type of [00:14:35.600] cooperation between the groups is what we hope for [00:14:38.808] and that's what's developing. [00:14:40.040] All right, Danielle. I would like to ask you to [00:14:42.886] explain a little bit about the CAPS program— [00:14:46.120] the educational side of the Durham Arts Council—with our audience. [00:14:50.080] Well, there's really two types of education that we're involved in. [00:14:54.640] One at the Durham Arts Council is our [00:14:56.600] educational program, which is a [00:14:58.814] wide variety of classes for all ages. [00:15:02.280] We have pottery, yoga, theater, you name it, [00:15:07.000] and it can be taught if there's enough people interested in it, photography. [00:15:11.120] Now that we're in our new building, we have room for even more classes. [00:15:14.720] In addition to that, [00:15:16.520] we feel that it's important that arts be a very important and [00:15:22.080] basic part of the school curriculum [00:15:25.014] and the Arts Council and [00:15:27.040] the Council for Creative Arts in the Public School. [00:15:29.840] A member group has worked very hard and I [00:15:32.880] think, what, six years I believe? [00:15:35.200] For quite a while in working to [00:15:39.280] have arts be a part of the day of the school children. [00:15:44.600] It's a very successful program. [00:15:46.880] It is, again, a model for the nation [00:15:50.257] and it too is growing every day with new ideas [00:15:54.680] and new approaches to arts and education. [00:15:58.748] - [Cynthia] Thank you. [00:15:59.040] Jim, we are now downtown. The arts are downtown. [00:16:04.320] Let's talk about that move to City Hall. [00:16:06.760] Let's talk about space. [00:16:09.280] Who's housed in the Arts Council now that it's in a new home? [00:16:14.200] I'm quite sure that you are enjoying the space. [00:16:18.160] Literally how much more square footage [00:16:19.971] do you have than you had at the Foushee Mansion? [00:16:23.360] We have approximately six times as much space [00:16:27.429] in the building downtown. [00:16:30.520] I was often amazed at the number of people [00:16:33.560] who could be literally packed into a 13,000 square foot [00:16:38.040] building on Proctor Street on a given evening. [00:16:40.960] We were often glad that the fire inspector [00:16:43.840] did not visit us when [00:16:45.440] so many people were using the building at once. [00:16:49.600] The old City Hall has adapted beautifully for the purposes of the arts. [00:16:55.600] The City Hall building was originally built in 1907 as Durham's first [00:17:01.680] public high school building. [00:17:05.640] As such, the space was designed to be large, open classroom spaces. [00:17:12.040] We have returned the building [00:17:14.686] to that original kind of shape in most instances. [00:17:18.880] The city, of course, when used as a City Hall [00:17:22.520] of necessity, had to put in many small [00:17:24.720] partitions to accommodate a great number of employees. [00:17:28.000] We have now removed many of those, 40 of them went down in a single day, [00:17:32.680] and created open spaces in which the arts can thrive. [00:17:36.280] This includes four large galleries with changing exhibitions. [00:17:40.880] The old City Council Chamber [00:17:43.600] on the second floor of the building has been adapted [00:17:45.680] into a theater that will seat 150 people. [00:17:49.120] We also have the costuming set design functions [00:17:52.760] within the building as well as the classrooms, photographic dark rooms, [00:17:56.640] pottery studio, the administrative offices, and the council meeting rooms. [00:18:02.200] And we have incorporated what had previously been farmed out [00:18:06.000] to the Lion Park school building— [00:18:07.829] the studio spaces for local artists. [00:18:10.840] We do rent at minimal cost studio space for working artists in the community. [00:18:16.040] I think it blends very appropriately on the same floor, [00:18:20.560] the administrative functions, the clerical work, [00:18:23.240] those of us who are balancing the budgets of the Arts Council with the creative [00:18:27.400] artists who are our neighbors and working in the same building. [00:18:30.720] So this is a tremendous expansion in just the number of square feet. [00:18:36.440] Yet I think the move from Proctor Street [00:18:40.360] to downtown has overtones that go beyond square footage. [00:18:45.040] I think there's a symbolic move there that represents a commitment [00:18:49.520] to the revitalization of the downtown area of Durham. [00:18:53.200] I think many of us who have been in this community for a while [00:18:56.880] looked with some dismay [00:19:00.014] at the demise of the Downtown Revitalization Foundation. [00:19:04.120] We have all, I think, shared [00:19:06.680] a commitment to the improvement of the downtown area because [00:19:11.000] there's a basic physical principle, I think, involved here. [00:19:14.400] It has to do with the necessity for a center, the necessity for the center. [00:19:20.240] If we look at European communities [00:19:22.760] where there was a town square. [00:19:24.557] Now, those town squares were more than just a place [00:19:28.120] that happened to be the physical center of a community. [00:19:30.600] They created the communications center, the place where people came together. [00:19:35.320] If you watch in a shopping center mall on a Saturday, [00:19:38.008] how many of those people are shopping [00:19:39.680] and how many are people watching? [00:19:41.560] It's a human nature sort of thing that we like [00:19:44.200] to be in the company of other people. [00:19:46.160] I think the center of town is necessary for that reason, if no other. [00:19:52.240] And we do need to work [00:19:54.560] on the revitalization of that area [00:19:57.014] so that we're not totally dispersed into the suburbs, [00:20:01.120] particularly as the energy issues become more critical. [00:20:05.040] That kind of matter becomes critical to the community concern. [00:20:09.240] We're very glad to be there. [00:20:10.840] We're very glad to be, [00:20:14.080] with all due respect to other businesses [00:20:16.240] and government agencies downtown, [00:20:18.414] what I think will become the biggest [00:20:20.000] people attracting activity in the downtown area. [00:20:23.320] This, of course, [00:20:23.960] can only be good for other establishments such as restaurants [00:20:27.540] and shops that can come back into this area [00:20:30.440] so that a lively arts center [00:20:33.200] has been identified [00:20:35.160] as one of the priorities for the downtown area. [00:20:38.480] Two years ago, [00:20:40.320] perhaps three, the Downtown Revitalization Foundation did a survey. [00:20:44.720] They listed 12 or 15 priorities [00:20:47.560] and they surveyed 500 people [00:20:49.400] at random in Durham County for their response [00:20:52.680] what they would like to see downtown. [00:20:55.600] Of those priorities an art center ranked fourth. Is that correct? [00:21:00.680] - [Danielle] I think so. [00:21:01.400] [crosstalk] [00:21:02.360] It was a very high priority listing [00:21:04.280] much to the surprise of even some of our own leaders [00:21:06.626] within the Arts Council that the arts were viewed [00:21:08.960] as that kind of a priority. [00:21:10.280] But in other instances that we've seen, other cities, [00:21:14.400] I would venture to say that one of the prime factors [00:21:18.360] at work in the revitalization of the downtown area of Atlanta [00:21:22.000] has been the arts programing. [00:21:24.840] The sculptures in public places, the creative use of the arts to attract [00:21:29.680] people back into the core district of the city. [00:21:32.271] So that our move [00:21:35.000] to downtown has more to do than just square footage. [00:21:38.440] That, of course, is a concern. [00:21:40.400] Finally, it represents, I believe, [00:21:42.480] a symbolic relationship with the City of Durham. [00:21:46.840] We're very pleased to be in a city building. [00:21:49.600] We're very pleased to develop the cooperative kind of relationship [00:21:52.801] that we can. [00:21:53.600] The city had a building there that needed to be used. [00:21:57.080] They have found happy welcome tenants in the Arts Council. [00:22:02.200] Jim I would like to say that I think that [00:22:05.000] the Durham Arts Council is now located [00:22:07.986] where it can be a symbolic symbol for Durham [00:22:12.360] because of the fact of its history, [00:22:15.029] first it was Durham High School [00:22:16.480] and then later became City Hall, and now it's [00:22:18.571] the home of the Durham Arts Council. [00:22:20.320] So I think that the Arts Council selected a very good site for its new home. [00:22:24.200] I do want to get into some of the things that you plan to do [00:22:28.129] for your public awareness program, [00:22:31.520] your PR programs, since you have moved to City Hall. [00:22:35.000] I know there have been several [00:22:36.943] special events that the Arts Council has put on. [00:22:40.040] Let's talk about some of those projects. [00:22:43.280] I know the Arts Council is a people [00:22:45.480] project oriented organization, bringing the community together. [00:22:49.280] What are some of the things that you plan to do in the future? [00:22:52.240] And discuss with us a couple of the special [00:22:54.529] public awareness projects [00:22:56.000] that the Arts Council has taken on and will take on in the near future. [00:23:00.440] The [00:23:02.040] move to downtown puts us [00:23:04.657] on the edge of several main roads for one thing. [00:23:08.160] We're very pleased that there's a lot of traffic going around the building. [00:23:12.040] Before we were in a residential neighborhood. [00:23:14.280] So we now feel like we're more [00:23:15.760] in the mainstream of everyday life. [00:23:19.800] In that regard we want to develop [00:23:22.280] basically an atmosphere that is [00:23:25.586] open and warm and hospitable to those [00:23:28.760] people who want to walk in and visit us at the art center. [00:23:33.000] I know from my own experience and I recall [00:23:37.240] a first visit to the Metropolitan Museum in New York [00:23:40.000] and walking up the stately stairs [00:23:42.120] and feeling somewhat intimidated [00:23:44.829] by the overwhelming character. [00:23:47.760] Oh this is the arts. [00:23:48.680] This is [00:23:49.640] something very important, almost sacred, a temple to art. [00:23:52.920] That's not what we've created in Downtown Durham. [00:23:55.960] We are pleased to have nice galleries [00:23:58.971] that accommodate works of art very well. [00:24:01.720] Yet at the same time [00:24:03.120] it's a place that you can come in, look around, [00:24:06.229] see what's going on, [00:24:07.440] and I hope not feel intimidated by art because it is a people place. [00:24:12.800] Some of the things we've done to encourage [00:24:15.320] this kind of drop in visitation [00:24:17.757] have been in the form of luncheons. [00:24:19.680] We have invited [00:24:21.000] everyone who works within the central business district [00:24:24.360] to come over and have lunch with us to see the building, [00:24:28.200] to be given a tour and experience what's going on there. [00:24:33.040] In addition to that, [00:24:34.080] we have done some special work with civic clubs, [00:24:36.957] providing them with an evenings entertainment, [00:24:40.320] meals served in our galleries [00:24:42.720] catered by outside individuals, [00:24:45.414] and tried to encourage the use of the building [00:24:48.840] by other groups for small meetings. [00:24:51.200] For instance, the Chamber of Commerce, now in a cooperative effort, [00:24:55.040] sponsors a number of committee meetings that are held in our building as well. [00:24:59.040] We hope to continue this kind of thing. [00:25:01.200] We will be putting some brightly colored [00:25:03.520] banners on the front of our building [00:25:05.514] to make sure everyone knows where we are. [00:25:07.160] And we will continue special PR efforts [00:25:10.480] to introduce people to the art center in downtown. [00:25:14.880] Thank you. Danielle, [00:25:15.920] and I know I've got to start to wrap this up, [00:25:17.920] let's talk about street art celebration, [00:25:20.280] the Sixth Street Art Celebration for Durham. [00:25:22.800] Well, we just in the past couple of weeks [00:25:25.600] begun to work on almost a daily basis to get it organized. [00:25:30.240] We've met with the recreation department, [00:25:33.040] which provides invaluable assistance to us on that day. [00:25:37.560] The date has been set for September 29th [00:25:40.760] and we are beginning very early this year [00:25:43.571] because we want to make this our [00:25:45.240] 25th anniversary birthday party and we're real excited about it. [00:25:49.440] We're beginning to recruit volunteers for it. [00:25:52.440] So we encourage people to begin calling now [00:25:56.480] to the Arts Council to volunteer or if they want to be [00:26:02.640] a performer or register for a booth there. [00:26:05.400] We're just beginning that process now. [00:26:08.000] - [Cynthia] Thank you. [00:26:09.480] Jim, let's look at the crystal ball for a minute. [00:26:11.480] Let's get into the future of the Arts Council. [00:26:13.560] Share that in a couple of minutes with me, please. [00:26:16.080] The future of the Arts Council, [00:26:17.760] I consistently use the same adjective—the future is bright. [00:26:22.320] I think that the future predictions [00:26:25.114] have to be based at this point solely on [00:26:28.040] the response of the people of Durham [00:26:30.443] which grows increasingly strong each year. [00:26:32.720] With the kinds of responses we have had, [00:26:35.271] with the increases of support across [00:26:37.120] the board both in terms of programing and finances [00:26:40.320] I believe the Arts Council is [00:26:42.729] an essential Durham institution that will continue to prosper [00:26:46.600] because of the effectiveness of the arts in the revitalization of cities. [00:26:52.800] - [Cynthia] All right. I want to ask each of you this. [00:26:55.440] And as brief as possible. [00:26:58.120] Jim, you've been on committees appointed [00:26:59.800] by the governor for the arts in North Carolina. [00:27:02.960] Danielle, your involvement in arts councils [00:27:05.280] throughout Rutherford County and the Blue Ridge Parkway, etc. [00:27:09.200] Let's talk about the professional look of the arts. [00:27:13.720] Let's talk about arts administration. [00:27:15.480] Let's see how arts administration during [00:27:18.357] your tenure in the arts has grown. [00:27:20.720] Both of you are relatively young [00:27:23.760] and then when I look at your backgrounds I find that it's vast, [00:27:27.960] it's involved, that you have grown in eight years [00:27:30.920] and in seven years. You've done a lot of things. [00:27:33.120] You are old timers when it comes to the profession of the arts. [00:27:37.440] Let's talk about that for a minute. [00:27:38.800] Each of you share something with me [00:27:40.320] on your views of the arts administration today. [00:27:44.680] Well, I think that both Jim and I are probably [00:27:47.571] the old timers in the business, [00:27:49.640] in community arts administration in the state. [00:27:51.920] And when we both started out, [00:27:53.440] there was no training program for community arts administrators. [00:27:57.240] There were a few colleges across [00:27:58.920] the country that offered arts administration programs. [00:28:03.480] Since then, even in the state, [00:28:05.920] we've developed an internship program [00:28:08.457] for community arts administrators. [00:28:10.800] And we've begun to see [00:28:13.100] professionals entering into the field, [00:28:15.960] as well as those who came up from the ranks and learned [00:28:20.040] the hard way how to balance budgets [00:28:22.014] and work with those types of things that we just didn't have [00:28:27.920] as far as training right back from the beginning. [00:28:30.708] It's exciting field, a very exciting field. [00:28:32.960] - [Cynthia] Jim, briefly, please. [00:28:36.420] It's a field that's wide open. [00:28:36.600] Money magazine called it one of the most [00:28:38.760] promising fields, professional fields in the country today. [00:28:42.120] It's growing very rapidly. [00:28:43.320] It's changed a great deal. [00:28:44.840] I would like to thank each of you for being my guest on the Arts in Durham. [00:28:48.480] I would like to thank you for watching. [00:28:50.400] And next week, we'll be looking at the Durham Symphony. [00:28:53.040] Good night.