“Amplify: A Cultural Plan for the Columbia Area” to host town hall meeting and seeks public input on planning process early findings
June 20, 2018
One Columbia for Arts & History, which advises, amplifies and advocates for the unified arts and history community, announces that, as a part of“Amplify: A Cultural Plan for the Columbia Area”, it will host more meetings with cultural and community organizations and members of the public this summer. The public is invited to attend the next Town Hall meeting to hear some of the early findings from interviews, online surveys and previous group and Town Hall meetings.
Amplify’s Town Hall meetings offer an opportunity to collect extensive input from the community, so that the steering committee can consider this feedback when reporting on findings and developing recommendations that advance the arts and cultural sector in the region. Town Hall attendees will be provided an update on the process and participate in the substantive discussions that will help increase public participation in the arts.
Amplify has scheduled three more Town Hall meetings open to the public that will focus on arts learning and arts education for members of the public interested in sharing ideas about how the arts impact long term growth and success for our region.
Amplify Town Hall Discussions:
o June 26, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Town Hall discussion open to the general public at Ben Arnold Center (1100 South Holly Street).
o August 28, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Town Hall discussion open to faculty of Columbia universities, arts education faculties and arts education students. Location TBA.
o August 29, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Town Hall discussion open to educators. Location TBA.
The Town Hall discussions are facilitated and led by members of the Amplify steering committee and Margie Reese, an arts advocate and arts management professional. In earlier Town Hall discussions with the public and targeted groups, Reese and the Amplify committee have identified five emerging themes and needs for arts growth in Columbia:
o Space for cultural expression, art making
o Leadership that nurtures diverse ideas, perspectives.
o Investment that refreshes the arts infrastructure systematically.
o Increased value for artists.
o Arts learning, including exposure and mastery, for children and young people.
The Amplify steering committee invites public participation and responses to help in develop a robust cultural plan for Columbia and the region.
The City of Columbia’s office of Planning and Development Services is initiating development of a Comprehensive Plan for all aspects of Columbia’s future. Amplify will serve as the arts and culture piece of the plan, For more information on Amplify and attending these town hall meetings, visit AmplifyColumbia.com, where members of the public can also provide input on arts and cultural planning in Columbia through Amplify’s online survey.
About Amplify
This 12 to 18-month effort led by One Columbia for Arts & History will result in a plan that takes into consideration current trends in the development of arts and culture at a national level, advances the growth of the local and regional creative community and considers ways to expand access to the arts for the region’s culturally diverse and growing population. The plan also seeks to create economic prosperity for the region. Amplify aligns with the City of Columbia’s planning efforts, and the planning process will highlight existing arts, cultural and heritage resources of Columbia and recommend ways to strengthen these valuable assets in our community.
