Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative May Update

We are hearing from people and organizations on a regular basis who are excited by what is happening with the Collaborative, and we want to say welcome! Join the conversation and the fun.

It hasn't been said for awhile, so we want to remind you of the RACC aspirational statement:

Rochester will be a vibrant, active, diverse and inclusive arts and cultural community for all. Local artists and arts and cultural organizations will be supported by each other and the broader community as a vital resource for the community's health and growth.

Informational interviews ongoing

In light of those aspirations, members from the RACC steering committee have been reaching out to arts organizations, cultural groups and individual artists and meeting with them one-on-one.

The meetings taking place have two primary goals:

1. To learn more about activities, missions, needs, dreams, and about how RACC and individuals and organizations can interact and support each other in all sorts of capacities, and 
2. to gather input and feedback specifically about potential interest in and uses for an Arts and Cultural Center - uses such as shared office space, meeting space, performance space, kitchen space. A center which can serve all those needs would be an incredible asset to our community.  As it happens, there is an opportunity right now to create such a place in the soon-to-be vacated Senior Center (aka the Armory or the Castle).  Information gathered will be highly valuable when the time comes to offer proposals through to the City Council. 

At these meetings, interested parties are also requested to return by July 1 a non-binding statement of intent to become a member of the Arts and Cultural Center. This will enable any proposal going forward to demonstrate a foundational level of support by potential users.

The interview team has an extensive list of people and groups to contact so if you haven't heard from them yet, you probably will soon. Feel free, however, to contact RACC at raccnews@gmail.com and make sure we know about you.

Update: Master Plan for Public Art

On our other exciting front, as has been previously blogged about, the Policy team has been busy since April working with the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust vis a vis their plan to bring a consultant from Forecast Public Art in St Paul to come down and help develop a Master Plan for Public Art in Rochester. The Trust requested in April and the City Council agreed to provide at their May 18 meeting matching funds to help pay for this consultant.  That plan now is moving forward.

Two important things of note: we learned that when Forecast Public Art does these kinds of projects, it always does so with a steering committee comprised of a broad swath of the community, which was the recommendation also of the RACC policy team. The other item of note is that this request was approved in large part because members of RACC stepped up immediately to offer their support and particular expertise to the members of the Trust, the offer was quickly accepted and acted upon, and it was thus demonstrated to the city leadership that arts groups can work together for a common goal. The road is not always smooth, but it can lead us all forward.

Did you know: event calendars 

You are probably familiar with event calendars from the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Alliance, Post Bulletin, KTTC, etc, and these are great comprehensive resources. However, there are some out there focused especially on arts and culture happenings in town that may highlight offerings you are unaware of.  Here are a few to get you started - let us know about others!

• reverb.mn
• Rochester Music Guild
• Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust
• SEMAC  (grant funded events)
• Zumbrota Area Arts Council
• Lanesboro

Logo design

The work of the Collaborative is important, and we want the community to know that we are living out our aspirational statement as best we can.  To that end, we would love an exciting logo that represents! Email raccnews@gmail.com if you would like to help with that.


Remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Public Art Master Plan proposal update

Since the April  City Council Committee of the Whole meeting where the request was made by the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust for $15,000 in matching funds for a consultant to help develop a master plan for public art, there have been several meetings between Trustees and representatives from the Collaborative.

The outcome of these talks has been the formation of a committee to advise the consultant in his work (he comes from Forecast Public Art in St Paul).  It is important to note that this work is going forward with the understanding that public art is being defined as anything that activates a given space, whether an installation or a performance of some kind, permanent or temporary.  The committee membership, which is still being confirmed, is made up of people who can speak to and represent the various constituencies: visual arts , performing arts - both of these at the organizational and individual level - , logistical concerns, policy concerns, etc.

The City Council originally had this request up for a vote at its May 4 meeting, but now it is scheduled for the May 18th meeting.

Further information will be posted as the arts and culture community continues its work to develop a shared vision and voice,  starting with this first important initiative.

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative April 2015

Things are moving quickly in Rochester on many fronts, including arts and culture, indicating the time was ripe for the formation of a body such as RACC.  The Collaborative strives to offer a conduit for the voices of this varied community to come together and speak in a unified voice, and it is making a difference!

Some examples since the birth of RACC last September:

• The Policy team has in the last week begun the process of developing a relationship with the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust. Until recently, the Trust has been spending time out of the public eye developing their own vision to meet their own mission statement, and they are now bringing forth their first initiative: a Public Art Master Plan, beginning with a study conducted by an outside consultant.  In a recent meeting the RACC steering committee had with Brad Jones, Chair of the Trust Board, the Collaborative learned of this effort, and a conversation with our Policy team and members of the Trust has begun in order to formulate ways the Trust can collaborate and connect through this initiative and beyond with members of the Collaborative and the wider Rochester community.  A first priority is to ensure an open and inclusive process in crafting this Public Art Master Plan, a plan which has implications for the entire city of Rochester as it grows in size and vitality. Further details and opportunities for input coming in a follow-up post.

• When the news hit of the potential purchase of the Chateau Theater, the Spaces team, because of work already done, was prepared with a document to share with interested parties, including DMC and the City Council – a document that pulled together visions of creative uses for the space. A similar document is well underway for proposed uses of the current Senior Center (aka the Armory) as an Arts and Cultural Center.

• The Public Art/Programming team hit the ground running last fall with an idea for activating the bike trails with art, and it has brought together a group of  collaborators including We Bike Rochester, the RDA, and the organizers of ArtBlitz.  The team is still hopeful this will be unveiled the summer of 2016.

• The Communication team and the Finance team are also going about their business of assaying needs and developing processes that artists and arts and culture organizations can access to their advantage.

The constant refrain of  “the arts community doesn’t get along” was the impetus for Audrey Betcher to call people together last summer to brainstorm how to dispel that myth and also to facilitate communication. From that quickly grew a dedicated cohort and since then many passionate and committed people have come forward to join in what has become the Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative.  All are welcome and encouraged to be a part of this journey. Connect with RACC through Facebook, Twitter, or email and add your voice to the conversation!

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative March 2015

Team updates:

Spaces (Steve Troutman/Debi Neville):

The spaces needs inventory, while ongoing, is transitioning to talking to artists and arts and culture organizations in a preliminary fashion specifically about how they may see themselves in the proposed arts and culture center as a future use of the Senior Center.  The city council has initiated a new process for individual and organizations to indicate interest in using city owned buildings such as the Silver Lake fire station, the Armory/Senior Center (to be vacated in 2016) and the new addition of the Chateau Theatre (assuming the purchase is approved on April 6).  The spaces team has a goal of being prepared to participate in that process as soon as it officially opens. 

In advance of the Post Bulletin Dialogue event about the Chateau Theatre on March 19, Steve Troutman sent Jay Furst Spaces brainstorming ideas about the Chateau and members of RACC also were present and spoke about the positive implications for arts and culture in town that could come from this historic purchase.  Members of the collaborative were also quoted in a Star Tribune article published Sunday, March 22.  

Public Art/Programming team:

Mary Ellen Landwehr reported on the status of Art4Trails. After the most recent meetings, the team has changed their approach to a smaller concept. Joined by Kelly Corbin of Bikes for Rochester, spaces along the bike trails will be selected to be filled with various installations of local art. Goals include activating these spaces with this art and, when/where appropriate, with special programming, at the same time encouraging area residents to get out and use the bike trails.  Possible future collaboration in this with the Rochester Art Center is being investigated.  This team's next meeting is April 13.

Public Policy:

Policy team is meeting the week of March 22; One upcoming focus will be on the Minnesota Citizens for the Arts CreativeMN.org report on the economic impact of the arts locally and statewide.

Dave Beal also encourages all artists and organizations to attend the April 6 City Council meeting to thank the council and offer support for their foresight in going ahead with the Chateau purchase. Artists and orgs coming together with this one message will help demonstrate the need and excitement for city support for arts and culture.

As always, please reach out if you want to be involved with any of these teams. All are open to any one interested.

Chateau Theatre and Spaces team presentation

With the proposed city purchase of the Chateau Theater, conversations about its future use have exploded! RACC started this discussion earlier this winter and here is a summary of the Spaces team work thus far:

Spaces Committee
Chateau Brainstorm Report

Prepared for the Spaces Committee by:
Stephen Troutman
March 18, 2014

Rochester Arts & Cultural Collaborative:

Aspirational Statement
Rochester Arts and Cultural Collaborative acronym is RACC.
• RACC was formed, as a grass roots effort, from a confluence of community initiatives and events.
• Our aspirational statement clarifies our vision of a unified arts and cultural community.
RACC Aspirational Statement:
"Rochester will be a vibrant, active, diverse, and inclusive arts and cultural community for all. Local artists and arts and cultural organizations will be supported by each other and the broader
community as a vital resource for the community's health and growth."

Rochester Arts and Cultural Collaborative: Spaces Committee

The RACC Spaces Committee is quite literally interested in all types of “spaces” for any arts, arts related, or cultural activity:

 The focus on facilities includes:
• Art making, rehearsal, studio, practice, etc.
• Performance, exhibition, gallery, etc.
• Events, fundraisers, ceremonies, etc.
• Cultural gathering, celebration, sharing, etc.
• Office, meeting, administration, storage, etc.

 The Spaces team is currently focused on:
• The Senior Center/Armory
• The Chateau Theater
• Performing Arts and More
• Spaces NOW

RACC Spaces Survey Results: Space Needs

Across all respondents over 40% stating a need for:
Meeting spaces
Performance spaces
Rehearsal spaces
Event/rental spaces

A commercial kitchen, a very specific need, was listed by 8% of the respondents

8% mentioned a storage space need, which was not in the survey options, but showed up in write-in comments.

Status: Chateau Building

The Chateau building is vacant
 The DMCC Board members have made it clear:

• The Chateau as an important arts asset for Rochester.

The RACC Spaces Committee has already started a project:

•  “to investigate and propose uses for the Chateau.”

The City of Rochester has declared their intention to buy the Chateau, with additional funding from the Mayo Clinic

Spaces Committee: Chateau Sub-Committee Brainstorm

The Spaces Committee solicited members to form a Chateau Sub-Committee.
The sub-committee was formed and a meeting held on February
20th, 2015.  The purpose of this meeting was to:
• Brainstorm potential uses for the Chateau.
• Identify issues and concerns.
• Lead to developing a proposal for the Chateau.
• This meeting was scheduled and held long before any
announcements regarding the Chateau building.
• This early start was in accordance with the RACC’s goal to
be proactive in our approach.

Usage: Mixed use theater / gathering place
• Films - Independent and international films
• Music – individuals, bands, orchestras, chorales, etc.
• Performance – dance, poetry, etc.
• Theater – live plays
• Education – patient & adult enrichment
• Presentations – business & arts
• Events - Community and cultural

Usage: Commercial destination
• Snack bar / coffee shop
• Activate seating outside the theater
• Retail space
• Rochester unique merchandise

Usage: Information center
• Visitor kiosks
• Calendar of daily events
• Videos
• Visitor center
• Mayo visitor info
• Rochester visitor info
• Mayo museum (satellite)
• Changing displays

Our Concept: Always something going on
 “Round-the-clock” programming ;
• Continuous activities all day long
• Rapid reconfiguration between events
• Modular infrastructure
 Multi-use gathering place ;
• Information
• Entertainment from film to performance to education and more
• Food and shopping
 Targeted at multiple audiences:
• Mayo patients
• Mayo employees
• Rochester residents
• Rochester visitors

Spaces Chateau Sub-Committee: Brainstorm Thinking Big!

Include the Chateau as part of a larger performing arts complex

Chateau as adjunct:
• Could operate as part of the larger complex
• or standalone

Performing Arts Center:
• Much larger footprint
• Performance hall
• State of the art acoustics
• Rehearsal rooms
• Practice rooms
• Admin spaces

Complex location ;
• On Wells Fargo site
• Or over the river

Spaces Chateau Sub-Committee: Chateau Partnership Ideas

Partnerships to be investigated:

Performing Arts (local)
• Theater
• Music
• Film
• Dance

Educational orgs
• UMR
• RCTC
• Mayo Clinic
• RSD
• etc.

Cultural groups
• Indigenous people
• Ethnic communities

Others seeking space
• McPhail
• Children’s Museum
• Veteran’s Museum

Business & Community
• RDA
• RAEDI

Spaces Chateau Sub-Committee: Chateau Issues to be Considered

Issues to be considered:
• Who will manage the Chateau?
• How will operations be funded?
• How will remodeling be funded?
• What about parking and accessibility?

One major concern, during the Brainstorm, “Who will buy and own the Chateau?” has been resolved.  The recent announcements from the City of Rochester and the Mayo Clinic have eliminated this  issue.

RACC Community Forum March 2 Recap

There was a great community meeting this past Monday. Thank you for coming out for it! We were especially pleased to see so many new people interested in what is happening with arts and culture in Rochester through the facilitation of members of the Collaborative.  If you were not able to be there, here is the team activity presentation that was shared with those present.

If you didn't indicate it on the sign-in sheet, or you were not at the meeting, we would very much like to know what team you would like to work with. If you did indicate on the sign-up sheet, your information has been passed on the team leaders and you should be hearing from them soon. Right now, the main teams are

• Programming and Public Art
•  current focus: Art4Trails 2016

• Spaces, 
• current focus: potential Arts and Culture Center proposal for the Senior Center/Armory building; arts/culture needs inventory; Chateau Theatre possibilities

• Policy, 
• current focus: learning about existing and future policies both from the City and DMCC/EDA.  

Teams are not limited to these three. If you have a passion and vision for other projects, let us know! Use the email address raccnews@gmail.com and you will be connected.

And if you didn't see it in the Post Bulletin the next day, there was a nice article about the meeting. We want to keep the community informed about the activities of the Collaborative because all are welcome to participate. Keep sharing and spreading the word!

Save the Date! Community Update on RACC March 2

Please mark your calendars and spread the word about  the next community  meeting to share the latest news about RACC projects with the general public. It will be Monday, March 2, 6:30- 7:30 pm in the auditorium of the Rochester public library. See you there!