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November 13, 1980 <br /> TO CENTER REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE <br /> FROM Margery Battin & Jacquie Smith <br /> RE November 12 meeting with the Lexington Arts Council <br /> We met with the Lexington Arts Council to brief them <br /> on the purpose of the Committee and to explore with them how their work and study <br /> might mesh with ours to maximize the social and cultural potential of the Center <br /> We outlined (1) the Selectmen's Goals for the Center, (2) the elements of the <br /> Center Study, including the MAPC economic work; and (3) the current support of <br /> the Arts by the Chamber through its on-going promotions We stressed that the <br /> Comittee was aware of the rich cultural resources of Lexington and of the civic <br /> and business interest in supporting cultural activities Unfortunately, we also <br /> had to stress the fact that there is a total lack of funds to undertake any major <br /> projects thanks to Prop 2; and inflation. <br /> Co-Chairs Molly Nye and Tina Forbes led a discussion <br /> of possible directions in which the Council might be moving and how they might <br /> interact with the study of the Center. Some of the ideas expressed were -- <br /> - Developing and analyzing a town-wide needs assessment of the arts; <br /> - Developing the Visitors Center along the lines of the National Park <br /> Visitors Center <br /> - Defining plans for an arts center - studios, theatre areas, a greenhouse <br /> perhaps utilizing one of the older school buildings <br /> - Acting as a catalyst or organizer for art festivals, e g , DeCordova or <br /> Xmas Revels at Sanders Theatre <br /> - Coordinating and publicizing Lexington's many current cultural <br /> activities <br /> The questions of funding beyond that of the Lottery was discussed. One suggestion was <br /> for a local regulation requiring that 1% of construction or major rehabilitation costs <br /> on public buildings be required to be spent on the arts This is being done by the <br /> Federal government on transportation projects and by the city of Cambridge Marge <br /> suggested that alternative funding sources should be explored and documented -- but <br /> again, with money for even the basic services in question, no new funded programs <br /> would probably get through Town Meeting for several years She emphasized the <br /> opportunity the Council has to add to the richness of life in Lexington by designing <br /> programs that allow for the interaction of people of ages A real sense of community <br /> and family life can be developed through such cultural activities <br /> One issue we feel the Council should address - and that we <br /> should discuss in our Committee work is - Should the primary goal of cultural <br /> activity in Lexington be enrichment of life for its citizens (and only peripherally <br /> for out-of-towners) or is the goal to make Lexington a regional cultural center? And, <br /> what is possible in the current negative economic climate? Another issue for our <br /> Committee to discuss is -- Does Lexington want to encourage (increase) tourism or just <br /> update current efforts? What are the impacts should we contemplate increases? <br /> CC to Molly Nye <br /> Tina Forbes <br />