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Policy E.7 Creativity and Arts
The Plan suggests strategies that can help the Town of Ashland and its various organizations build upon the Town’s existing strengths and charm and bring arts and cultural activities to the historic Downtown and England Street. A recommendation was made to develop new uses in Downtown Ashland that will complement existing businesses while enhancing the arts and cultural environment. An example of this would be to create affordable mixed-use, live/work spaces in Downtown Ashland and on England Street. Some uses that would be conducive to live/work space are galleries, culinary arts or music stores, artisan bakery or brewery and artists’ studios. The use of large display windows on the ground floor provide a retail experience and allow the passerby to observe working artists.
Also suggested is the increase of public art throughout the Town to enhance the visibility of the arts and culture environment. Public art may be located in significant areas around the Town of Ashland to convey a positive visual message that Ashland is a town that supports the arts and its artists. For additional information, see Policy CD.13 regarding suggestions for an outdoor art program.
The implementation of these ideas will take the participation of several parties: the Town government, the property owner and Ashland Main Street. This combination of ideas works to build and strengthen an arts and cultural district.
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"Also suggested is the increase of public art throughout the Town to enhance the visibility of the arts and culture environment. Public art may be located in significant areas around the Town of Ashland to convey a positive visual message that Ashland is a town that supports the arts and its artists."
Now, I'm no stranger to the utilitarian use of art. I am after all, a commercial artist. I am a hired gun. One of the causes that I champion is the understanding of industrial and utilitarian design as art. But I can't help but get an initial gut reaction to this that says "Wait a minute. Shouldn't art be made public for the sheer appreciation of it?" Many artists have an instinctual aversion to being used as a marketing tool. Art for the sake of appearance is anathema to the soul of many an artist I know.
It is great to convey a visual message that Ashland is a town that supports the arts and its artists. But only if that message is true. Lets not put the cart before the horse. You can plaster a town with public art, and still not support local artists.
I'm not saying that Ashland is not such a town. Just that artists are tuned into such nuances, and if you want them to come and live and work and create and shed their life's passion in your town, you might want to be aware of how language is perceived. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look up the word "Shill". Artists like to use that word a lot.
There is another part that gives me pause:
The implementation of these ideas will take the participation of several parties: the Town government, the property owner and Ashland Main Street. This combination of ideas works to build and strengthen an arts and cultural district.
Now, I'm no stranger to the utilitarian use of art. I am after all, a commercial artist. I am a hired gun. One of the causes that I champion is the understanding of industrial and utilitarian design as art. But I can't help but get an initial gut reaction to this that says "Wait a minute. Shouldn't art be made public for the sheer appreciation of it?" Many artists have an instinctual aversion to being used as a marketing tool. Art for the sake of appearance is anathema to the soul of many an artist I know.
It is great to convey a visual message that Ashland is a town that supports the arts and its artists. But only if that message is true. Lets not put the cart before the horse. You can plaster a town with public art, and still not support local artists.
I'm not saying that Ashland is not such a town. Just that artists are tuned into such nuances, and if you want them to come and live and work and create and shed their life's passion in your town, you might want to be aware of how language is perceived. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look up the word "Shill". Artists like to use that word a lot.
There is another part that gives me pause:
The implementation of these ideas will take the participation of several parties: the Town government, the property owner and Ashland Main Street. This combination of ideas works to build and strengthen an arts and cultural district.
It seems to me that there is an important party who's participation is overlooked.
The Artist.
Ok... maybe the inclusion of the artist is assumed. Inferred. But we are a sensitive breed. We like to be mentioned:
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Policy E.8 Incentives for Arts-Related Businesses
To increase the presence of arts-related businesses and organizations such as art galleries and studios, an art supply shop, theaters (both cinema and stage), a music center, retail music instruments, craftware shops, photography studios, culinary arts, and art and music education venues, consideration should be given to the provision of economic incentives or regulatory flexibility. Examples of incentives are exemption from BPOL fees, real property tax exemption, or special regulatory flexibility for arts and cultural venues within the district for a defined period.
In order to provide such incentives, the Town will need to take advantage of Virginia State Code § 15.2-1129.1 (House Bill 1735) passed in February 2009. This enabling legislation allows any locality to create an arts and cultural overlay district. By creating this overlay district within a designated area, communities are able to grant tax incentives as well as relax certain regulations to arts and culture related businesses for a period of up to 10 years. There are other incentives available in addition to those suggested above. Other examples of the benefits of this designation include flexibility of sign regulations or exemption from ordinances dealing with issues pertinent to Downtown such as parking or hours of operation. The arts and culture overlay district should be established and managed by the Town of Ashland and Town Council with the assistance of Ashland Main Street.
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And there's the rub. "for a period of up to 10 years". See, I've seen this before. You start by making it all comfy cozy for artists. You suck out their life force, using them as your side show carnival act. We are the bearded ladies, the fish boys, the dog men.
And then... when your carnival takes off... becomes successful... grows into a bona-fide theme park... you toss us out on our ears.
The artist can no longer afford to live in the place (s)he has toiled for 10 years, watching as the area grows and prospers. See Gentrification.
I call myself ‘artist’ for want of a better term.
There is nothing self-evident in my creative work except the compulsion to do it.
Through no intent of my own I have been pointed out as something apart,
a 5-legged calf,
a monster.
I have never fought for this position, nor do I do so now to keep it.
Yet I may well at times have felt the winds of megalomania sweep across my brow.
But I believe myself to be immune.
I need only for one second remind myself of the utter unimportance of art in the human world
in order to cool myself down again.
But that does not mean the compulsion does not remain.”
-Max von Sydow from Ingmar Bergman’s “Hour of the Wolf”
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Again... I'm not saying all this to be a pain in the ass. I'm not being a nay sayer. I'm not discounting the efforts toward making real change in Ashland. I am merely the herald.
When the soothsayer told Ceasar to beware the Ides of March, it wasn't because he was planning on knifing Ceaser in his sleep.
It was because he felt the change in atmosphere, long before the storm.
