Arts Council of Mendocino County, Fort Bragg CA

Category & Type :

Artists

Location :

Fort Bragg CA

Phone :

707-961-5449

Website :

http://www.artsmendocino.org

Information about Arts Council of Mendocino County...

It has been a great privilege serving as chair of this cultural planning process. Working with so many dedicated individuals from all over Mendocino County has affirmed my strong belief that we live in an extraordinary place with exceptional people.

I would like to thank everyone who worked so diligently to put forth the recommendations in this plan. Your insights, optimism and commitment to community are invaluable to the future of our county. Without the vision of the Community Foundation of Mendocino County and their assistance in securing financing from the James Irvine Foundation, this planning process could not have taken place. I commend both foundations for their belief in the importance of the role of the arts in the greater community. Thanks also to Bill Moskin for providing the roadmap for the planning process and for wise guidance along the way.

As a board member of the Arts Council of Mendocino County, I have been continually amazed by the quality and diversity of the arts in our communities. The arts are an integral part of our everyday lives. They are an important reason for why we choose to reside here. In addition to bringing greater meaning to our lives, the arts also have a significant impact on the health of our communities: they contribute to the economy; they create jobs; they help further educational goals; they help make communities safer; and they promote cross-cultural understanding.

We are confident that this cultural plan provides meaningful direction to local government, the business community, education and the artistic community to help integrate and encourage increased support for the arts in our county’s future. The hard work of further development and implementation of these proposals lies ahead of us. Continued countywide participation is necessary to its success. I urge you to join the Arts Council and the extraordinary group of your friends and neighbors who volunteered to create this plan as we work together toward the future of Mendocino County organizations of all cultures in the community’s future. Unlike the cultural planning that had been done in past years,this initiative was geared toward integrating the region’s extensive cultural assets into the county’s future by creating agreater understanding of the role of the arts in the county’s evolution. Moving from that understanding to a practical plan integrates the arts as an important participant in the county’s transition toward a sustainable future. It is the intent of the plan that follows to address a variety of civic endeavors to develop new collaborations, leadership, and financing to advance the county and its cultural assets

STEERING COMMITTEE

The cultural planning process took place over a fourteen-month period from January of 2003 through February of 2004 and was coordinated by the consultant and the Arts Council board and staff. The planning process was advised by a broad based steering committee of Mendocino County community leaders. Committee membership consisted of representatives of the Arts Council of Mendocino County board of directors and selected leaders in the county’s business, education, healthcare and arts communities. This volunteer steering committee provided guidance throughout, identifying planning participants, chairing task forces and prioritizing key issues brought forward in the planning process.