HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-11-13-CRC-min November 13, 1980
TO CENTER REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE
FROM Margery Battin & Jacquie Smith
RE November 12 meeting with the Lexington Arts Council
We met with the Lexington Arts Council to brief them
on the purpose of the Committee and to explore with them how their work and study
might mesh with ours to maximize the social and cultural potential of the Center
We outlined (1) the Selectmen's Goals for the Center, (2) the elements of the
Center Study, including the MAPC economic work; and (3) the current support of
the Arts by the Chamber through its on-going promotions We stressed that the
Comittee was aware of the rich cultural resources of Lexington and of the civic
and business interest in supporting cultural activities Unfortunately, we also
had to stress the fact that there is a total lack of funds to undertake any major
projects thanks to Prop 2; and inflation.
Co-Chairs Molly Nye and Tina Forbes led a discussion
of possible directions in which the Council might be moving and how they might
interact with the study of the Center. Some of the ideas expressed were --
- Developing and analyzing a town-wide needs assessment of the arts;
- Developing the Visitors Center along the lines of the National Park
Visitors Center
- Defining plans for an arts center - studios, theatre areas, a greenhouse
perhaps utilizing one of the older school buildings
- Acting as a catalyst or organizer for art festivals, e g , DeCordova or
Xmas Revels at Sanders Theatre
- Coordinating and publicizing Lexington's many current cultural
activities
The questions of funding beyond that of the Lottery was discussed. One suggestion was
for a local regulation requiring that 1% of construction or major rehabilitation costs
on public buildings be required to be spent on the arts This is being done by the
Federal government on transportation projects and by the city of Cambridge Marge
suggested that alternative funding sources should be explored and documented -- but
again, with money for even the basic services in question, no new funded programs
would probably get through Town Meeting for several years She emphasized the
opportunity the Council has to add to the richness of life in Lexington by designing
programs that allow for the interaction of people of ages A real sense of community
and family life can be developed through such cultural activities
One issue we feel the Council should address - and that we
should discuss in our Committee work is - Should the primary goal of cultural
activity in Lexington be enrichment of life for its citizens (and only peripherally
for out-of-towners) or is the goal to make Lexington a regional cultural center? And,
what is possible in the current negative economic climate? Another issue for our
Committee to discuss is -- Does Lexington want to encourage (increase) tourism or just
update current efforts? What are the impacts should we contemplate increases?
CC to Molly Nye
Tina Forbes