CADI MEETING NOTES
March 29, 2005, 6-7 p.m.
Blair Library Meeting Room
FAYETTEVILLE DOWNTOWN PARTNERS UPDATE
Fayetteville Downtown Partners (FDP) continues to move forward with the implementation of the Downtown Master Plan (www.downtowndickson.com). The City Council approved the contract for services on March 1st, allowing FDP the opportunity to shore up its infrastructure and officially begin several major initiatives for 2005.
Business Improvement District (BID) Initiative—FDP, under the guidance of the Downtown Master Plan, is undertaking the task of investigating the viability of an assessment district in downtown Fayetteville. FDP is encouraged to pursue a downtown BID because of the huge potential benefits of the funding of specialized services and programs. The BID consultant will be coming into town in April to conduct a feasibility study.
COMMUNICATION
FDP is currently putting together a website, located at www.fayettevillearts.org and www.fayettevillearts.com. We’re developing the text and outlining the resources might be useful for artists, cultural tourists and arts patrons. The Fayetteville Arts Festival may use our site to gather entries into the festival. We will also have links to events, artist’s websites and resources. We are looking to expand services once we get the site up and running.
FAYETTEVILLE ARTS FESTIVAL
The festival will be held August 23rd – 28th. As well as the core programming of the visual arts vendors and “Best of Show” prize of $1,000, some possible new programming highlights include:
- Free Mayor’s Concert featuring Jura Margulis
- Walton Arts Center Partnership, which could include an “Open House,” family friendly concerts, free studio time, evening musical performances, ticket-giveaways and much more!
- Fayetteville Film Festival
- 24-Hour Video Race – Filmmakers will have to complete and submit a short film in 24 hours. A panel of “celebrity” judges will jury these films during the festival. The competition for the $1,000 cash prize will be fast and furious and some great projects should come out of the event this year.
- National Poetry Slam Invitational – A poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance and is engineered for the audience. Slam is designed for the audience to react vocally and openly to all aspects of the show, including the poet’s performance, the judges’ scores, and the host’s banter. The FFAF 2005 will be inviting 16 nationally known performance poets to compete in the Walton Arts Center’s magnificent Baum Walker Hall for a $1,000 cash prize. A music concert of several well-known bands will follow the slam.
- The Announcement of a Fayetteville Poet Laureate
- Jazz Music Series
- Downtown Gallery Art Walk
- 24-Hour Play Festival – Similar to the 24-Hour Film Festival, teams of actors, playwrights and directors write and produce a short piece of theatre to be performed in front of a live audience within 24 hours of receiving the competition rules and themes. A jury of “celebrity” judges will determine the winner of the $1,000 first place prize. A writer from Saturday Nigh Live will be the “celebrity judge” for the competition.
- Dance Coalition Performances
- Literary Readings
- Arts Cars
- Art Parade
- Public Art Projects
CADI PROJECTS IDENTIFIED
Almost 190 projects were identified and catagorized under the four CADI objectives. The CADI objectives include:
- Increase opportunities for artists
- Strengthen the arts infrastructure
- Increase audiences for the arts
- Enhance young people’s access to the arts
FDP compiled the list and presented the total findings. Several of the project ideas were merged due to their similarity. FDP identified seven “Action Items” that could facilitate the success of the project ideas. The CADI group prioritized the seven Action Items:
- Establish a Fayetteville Arts Commission
- Produce an expanded Fayetteville Arts Festival
- Define boundaries of the Fayetteville Arts and Cultural District
- Write and implement a Public Art Policy/ Develop and define a Museum Without Walls concept
- Develop and support a sustainable Downtown Gallery Arts Walk
- Facilitate certification of AIE/Rostered Artists at the state level
NEXT STEPS
We will be actively working to expand input opportunities for the seven action items, as well as engaging more community groups to participate in the CADI conversations. Through this process, we will begin to form our “Action List” and create the teams to work on the various projects prioritized during the March 29th meeting.
Browse Timeline
- « NWA Artscapes – March 2005, Citiscapes
- » Art Ambitions (Northwest Arkansas Times – March 30, 2005)
