THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 4, 1994 TAG: 9411020138
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
The importance of the arts to economic development once again was noted at a meeting over the weekend at Virginia Wesleyan College.
If you don't believe it, look at the Southern cities that are growing rapidly and you'll find great support for the arts in every one of them.
For a city its size, Portsmouth has excellent arts programs. We just don't seem to get the word out to encourage support from the entire region, a problem we hope a new city public information officer will help solve.
Part of the problem, of course, is that a lot of influential local folks don't involve themselves with cultural activity at home, apparently believing erroneously that events elsewhere are better.
Openings at the Community Arts Center are not the events they should be; in part, because so many people, including city officials, don't consider them important. Yet the art critics note that some of the art exhibits here are among the most important in the region. That stature was important to Tidewater Community College when it made a decision to put its regional Visual Arts Center in a downtown building.
Portsmouth Community Concerts, one of the oldest continuous associations in the country, struggles to sell out its seats every year, despite the fact that memberships are one of the best cultural buys in the area.
A trip to Philadelphia, sponsored by the museums, might fall short of the required number of participants even though the jaunt is reasonably priced. While seats go begging on trips originating here, many people from Portsmouth will join trips sponsored by organizations in other cities.
When I first came here about 15 years ago, I quickly became aware of a strange attitude that if an event is here, it couldn't be much.
That seemed strange to this newcomer who was pleased to live in a small city with good concerts and wonderful Willett Hall to present them in. I was pleased to find several museums - the Naval Ship Yard Museum and the Lightship that told me about this city's fantastic history; the wonderful Children's Museum; and, most important to me, an arts center that features quality changing exhibitions.
In addition, the Seawall Art Show, which occurred a few weeks after my arrival, was a wonderful local event, celebrating not only art but our waterfront.
The attitude that put down arts events here was a new experience for me because I previously had lived in a city where residents supported the arts and bragged about the happenings in the entire region.
We are fortunate that we live only minutes away from the Virginia Opera, the Symphony, Wells Theater and the Chrysler Museum. They offer quality activities we all enjoy.
But their excellence seldom surpasses the quality of the events that occur right here in Portsmouth. Take, for instance, the Moscow State Ballet premiere of a new production of ``The Nutcracker'' at Willett Hall at the end of this month. I haven't seen it, but I would bet it will be as good as anything you'll see around the area this year.
The same can be said for the Nebraska State Theater production of ``A Christmas Carol'' that will return to Willett this year. We have seen this show and we know it is as good as they come.
The Community Concerts Association has one of the best overall series it has booked in years, starting this weekend with a performance by the ever popular Tamburitzans. In addition, the group booked a Christmas show by the Mantovani Orchestra and Chorus.
These events at Willett Hall are but a fraction of the excellent art events that are regular occurrences in Portsmouth.
Unfortunately, we not only don't get the regional response the quality deserves. We don't even get local support that should be forthcoming.
Portsmouth people are a funny lot. They are very loyal to their city in some ways. But they fall short when it comes to supporting local arts events as well as local businesses.
Yet, if we don't support local activities, we won't have them to make Portsmouth a place attractive to new business or even to new residents. MEMO: Do you have a compliment, criticism, suggestion or story idea? Send
your thoughts to The Currents, 307 County St., Suite 100, Portsmouth,
Va. 23704-3702, fax us at 446-2607 or call us at 446-2612 by CNB