Beaufort County Arts Council calls "Emergency Summit"

About 90 folks showed up to discuss the state of the arts in Northern Beaufort County last week--it was incredible to see such an array of support and value for arts from a variety of arts groups, artists and citizens in that community. Some of the kinds of people I noted included a healing arts program coordinator from the local hospital, a professional billiards photographer, a tattoo artist, a librarian, a teaching artist, actors, visual artists, the local historic and community foundations, a philosophy professor, a parent, teachers and school district staff, arts board members and staff...you get the picture.

JW Rone, the director of the Arts Council, spoke briefly about the work of the Arts Council, and then the next hour was spent hearing who was in the room and why they had come. Setting the scene, JW asked everyone to think of what their vision of art is for an arts community.    The large group divided into five smaller sets, each centered around an arts discipline or arts administration. The activity? To come back to the whole group with five big ideas for Beaufort County.

As you might imagine, the big idea report-out sessions were all over the place. A lot of energy and enthusiasm for the gathering and ideas discussed led to the consensus that another meeting was necessary.  It is scheduled for March 16--in case anyone out there wants to go observe. You might have to stand though! 

My question to those of you who represent arts councils across S.C.:  

• What are you doing differently now that the economic picture has shifted? 
• What struggles and successes can you share? 
• Who values  your organization's work and how are you partnering with them going forward?