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Statewide arts conference convenes in city Date published: 5/13/2009
BY EMILY BATTLE
More than 100 representatives of arts groups, economic development agencies and downtown revitalization organizations from all over the state will come to Fredericksburg Friday to talk about the arts as a force for economic development. The Arts and Cultural Council of the Rappahannock will host a state conference on creating arts and cultural districts at the Arts and cultural districts are similar to the tourism and technology zones that Fredericksburg enacted two years ago to dispense incentives to targeted businesses. These set districts allow localities to offer incentives to promote arts projects. Fredericksburg's arts commission has been talking about establishing one in the city's downtown. On Friday, officials from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Main Street and other communities around the state will give presentations about the value of arts in economic development and how to create these districts to encourage arts in specific communities. Kathryn Willis, head of the Arts and Cultural Council of the Rappahannock, said 137 people are expected to attend the conference, well over the 60 to 70 attendees organizers had first expected. They'll be coming from every region of Virginia, including groups from Bristol, Abingdon, Norfolk, Emporia, Rocky Mount, Richmond, Charlottesville, Arling-ton, Alexandria and nearby towns like Orange and Culpeper. Willis said Fredericksburg was chosen for the event by the Virginia Commission for the Arts. "We were pleased, because one of our main goals has been to position Fredericksburg and this region as a center for thriving and lively arts," she said. Fredericksburg's Economic Development Authority supported the event with a $3,000 grant. Willis said the Fredericksburg Area Museum will be offering free tours to conference-goers. The event was planned for the museum's meeting space, but so many people signed up that organizers had to move it to the Hospitality House. Emily Battle: 540/374-5413
In our new Culture of Exclusion, why are the hairs on the back of my neck standing up when I read the government will now decide what is acceptable art and culture via the establishment of districts which overrule zoning? So, now, in addition to paying for "art" such as that picture of the Cross in a glass of urine, we will now also give governmental preferences and incentives for "artists" who feel this sort of thing is protected under the 1st Amendment (when we had one). More taxes y'all.
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