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?