(The Culture Plan came out of a series of public meetings in an array of Chicago communities. I attended one of those town hall meetings where I was very impressed with the desires, insights and wisdom of the pubic-at-large.)
The Plan:http://www.goweetu.com/ccp2012/ccp2012-draft-plan.pdf
Supplemental Material:http://www.goweetu.com/ccp2012/ccp2012-draft-supplemental.pdf
Supplemental Material:http://www.goweetu.com/ccp2012/ccp2012-draft-supplemental.pdf
Emanuel was the first substantive speaker, who clearly gets the economic impact the arts and culture bring to any city, but surprisingly spent much more time discussing culture's benefit to the quality of life. With a Mayor who was a Dance Major, the arts are appreciated and understood to be important.
As I understand it, NEA Chairman Landesman, shortly after his appointment by President Obama, expressed the notion that culture needs to cross pollinate. This means that the NEA partners with HUD (Housing & Urban Development) who has a lot more money and periodically work on joint projects with a cultural impact.
In Chicago, this means the DCASE (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events) has recently partnered with the Department of Transportation and the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). Gabe Klein is the Transportation Commissioner. A year ago he began installing bike lanes and is now identifying ways his department can augment culture in Chicago.
In Chicago, this means the DCASE (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events) has recently partnered with the Department of Transportation and the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). Gabe Klein is the Transportation Commissioner. A year ago he began installing bike lanes and is now identifying ways his department can augment culture in Chicago.It is the partnership with Transportation and it's Make Way for People plan, that I find most exciting and emblematic of where the Cultural Plan will take us. Klein's Department says there are 56 plazas in Chicago, most of which I believe are the triangles created by our diagonal streets. Transportation is converting these to "Cultural Venues" which will have small stages, or kiosks or seating areas or community gathering accomodations. Another iteration is to consume 3-5 parking spaces and turn them into community outposts with temporary seating, or a mini farmer's market, or occasional art displays.
This is the spirit of what's going on. We have a Mayor with an Arts Major, who commissions a new Culture Plan and "Inspires" his Commissioners to jump on board and they all become boosters and we benefit.
There is a lot of valuable reading in the Cultural Plan Draft (linked above) and we have an opportunity to turn out at a series of public meetings next week to hear more and have an opportunity to speak to the issues that concern us. http://www.chicagoculturalplan2012.com/#587/custom_plain
This is very exciting.
Thank you,
Paul Klein
PS: So many of these things need not cost big (any?) money. For example, one idea I'd like to see is for the buses and trains to add Cultural Public Service Announcements that include information about what cultural venues are accessible from the next stop.
The problem I see with this plan is that it leaves out artists. One might hope that artists will be pulling down some kind of living wage or living set of commissions or whatever from re-introducing the arts into the public schools in a truly solid manner. Which, of course, I applaud. But there is no bullitt point for artists leaving them is the same vague terrain they have always been in, ripe for exploitation, frustration and only in the game if they are subsidized by a spouse or trust fund or able to scramble to the top of the hill. In Europe at least artists have health care, so what little income they might be able to put together is not being sucked away by a dysfunctional parasitic industry. Where do we learn how artists will benefit in their day-to-day quality of life, living wage or whatever and their increase ablity to contribute to the life of the city. Or is it just more of the same? I like the use of the term "equitable" -how will that apply to artists, and art makers of all kinds.
I love your idea about info on busses and trains...and the designers who put the info together can be paid!!!!!
Where's the Park District in all this? The Warren Park Fieldhouse has a stage that Berny Stone put in the plans (he's an amateur thespian), and what do they use it for? Storing athletic equipment! Little triangles from Transportation are nice; big spaces from Parks would be even better!
Also, Paul, you know how much cash Chicago's museums could raise if they applied some art finance innovation to their collections. Shouldn't the Art Institute of Chicago use some of that vast wealth that art donors have endowed it with to give free arts education and local programs back to Chicago?
The cultural plan is a step forward, but it has some gaps that are obvious if you think outside the box.
Thank you Paul Klein! LA needs to follow Chicago's lead on this!!!
Especially in light of U.S. Secretary of HUD Sean Donovan's talk last year at MOMA/PS1 highlighting the positive impact the Art/Architecture/Design community has on the the job market and housing crisis.[http://www.livestream.com/museummodernart/folder?dirId=c37f55ad-f535-411c-abe0-09cf567e62b1].
really loved looks through your art