ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 1997 TAG: 9704150067
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
In 1994, arts organizations laid out a blueprint for developing a vibrant cultural life in and around Roanoke by 2000. At midpoint, some seeds have germinated and are ready to bloom.
IT IS HALFWAY between the 1994 unveiling of "Blueprint 2000" and the year 2000 - when, the authors of "Blueprint" predicted, "the Roanoke region will be known as a pre-eminent cultural center of Virginia and a major cultural center along the Blue Ridge Parkway."
So how's it going?
The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge reports progress. Coming in May: a culture card, which will offer discounts on admissions to people who buy season tickets or memberships in participating cultural organizations; a kiosk in downtown Roanoke to promote regional cultural attractions and events; publication of a cultural directory.
Various other projects are under way to get information out to potential new patrons; to expand arts education; to broaden the ethnic, geographic and economic representation on the Arts Council and its members' boards; and to make the arts more accessible, both physically and culturally.
These efforts range from expanding the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra's Discover Concerts to reach a more diverse audience, to adding Hispanic music to the Blue Ridge Institute's Folklife Festival, to increasing the number of signed performances for the hearing-impaired at Mill Mountain Theater.
Arts in the Park, an after-school program at Hurt Park Elementary School in Roanoke, is a shining example of the riches regional artists can bring to their communities - with a little support. Twenty fifth-graders are learning about music, puppetry, drama, literature and visual art with artists such as Mimi Babe Harris and poet Nikki Giovanni.
A National Endowment for the Arts grant plus matching-donor contributions have made that pilot project possible, along with scholarships and other assistance for artists and Arts Council organizations.
Which brings up the crucial issue of support for the arts.
The council reports that this region's "cultural industry" needs to do more of what it has started doing: supplement the arts and culture curriculum of elementary and secondary schools; broaden its audience by reaching out to diverse communities and underserved rural areas; expand cooperation among cultural organizations, higher education institutions and nonprofit community groups.
To enrich the life of the region, the arts community needs something back: support - the support of individuals, localities and, Congress willing, the NEA.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 linesby CNB