Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative July update

Midsummer is in its full glory and we Minnesotans are soaking it all up as we know so well how to do. The RACC teams are no exception, with many of us taking advantage of summer's offerings and focusing on those current joys. There are a few updates to pass along however:

The input survey team finished collecting responses July 1st and are collating results. From that information, they are working up the next stage as concerns an Arts and Cultural Center in whatever form or venue that may end up in.  They will still take input (send it to raccnews@gmail.com) but they are moving forward in their process.  More to come on that and on the Mayor's ideas for a kind of Chateau Theater use study as the Spaces teams gathers details.

News from the Policy team is that the Public Art Master Plan consultancy project with the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust and Forecast of St Paul will be confirmed soon. We look forward to sharing their next steps when we have more complete information.

The Finance team, headed by Cassandra Buck, is working with Rochester Area Foundation staff to learn more about options and avenues of funding and financing. Let us know if you'd be interested in working with Cassie on this team.

Public Art and Programming team, lead by Mary Ellen Landwehr, continues to make progress in its Art4Trails public art project for 2016.  They are finalizing the submission process, have a good partnership going with the Parks department, and hope to begin fundraising in early August. Keep your ears open for updates on how you can participate in this exciting new public art opportunity!

As you may have discovered, there is a plethora of sources for information on all the happenings in and around our region. For a fine overall community (although primarily arts) information aggregator, check out ReVerb.mn.  Among other options, you can download RochesterNow and Marquee Rochester apps for your phone, follow the 507 Magazine from the PB, submit and find events on the PB events calendar, KTTC/Fox community calendars, the Convention and Visitors bureau and the Rochester Downtown Alliance online calendars, calendars of other arts organizations such as the Rochester Music Guild and the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust  - there are many ways to keep up to speed so bookmark your favorite!  We'll keep sharing things on our Facebook and Twitter feeds as we are able, and feel free to post on our page with any arts and culture news you want to let the community know about.

We welcome any and all to come under our big collaborative tent and work with us. For example, would you like to be on a communications team to consider how to streamline all of these calendars? Do you know something about finance or policy and want to contribute to the work of those teams? You don't have to be an artist or an arts or cultural group administrator or a community leader - you just have to think it sounds interesting and fun. RACC is grassroots - it is YOU reading this newsletter, and we say come on in and join us!

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative June update

Things are still happening with arts and culture in Rochester, even as the lazy days of summer have hit. Although it's hard to be lazy in a city with so much going on!

What's happening 
First, here are a few "heads up" alerts:

• Art Blitz on Saturday 3:00-11:00 pm all over the block around the Creative Salon (4th St & 1st Ave SW). Stop by our booth and say hello! (and drop off some of your flyers or business cards)
• Look for a survey coming your way from the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) called Artists Thrive. They want to hear from individual artists they don't usually hear from to get a broader sense of Minnesota's artistic communities.  As the survey creator put it: "We need to reach respondents who represent the full diversity of artists and creative people in Minnesota, not just those who are already likely to respond to an Arts Board request."   Please take a few minutes to fill it out when/if you get it and let us know if you don't because we will be one of the sources distributing it. 
• Did you know that Charter House has a small art gallery, called the Parkside Gallery, with revolving exhibits? Their new show, featuring the art of Dr. Kevin Reid, opens July 16, with a reception from 4:30-7:00 pm.  The jazz combo CCB will be providing music. The gallery is open to the public so please stop by and take a look (the most recent exhibit showed art of C4's own Phil Taylor and Bobby Marines).
• Unfortunately the IMAA (Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association) event Walk Around the World, in celebration of World Refugee Day, was cancelled Saturday, June 13, due to bad weather. However, they are planning their second annual Pearl Gala for September 25 and would welcome your help in a number of ways.  Here is more information. 

Team updates

Spaces 
Interviews are ongoing to gather input and initial commitments in support of an Arts and Cultural Center in the current Senior Center/Armory. Feedback by July 1 is encouraged as the committee works to develop a viable business plan in advance of a Request for Proposal opportunity when the city council has defined its process.  An important part of the business plan is also having a management system in place, so the committee is actively working on that piece as well. Please contact raccnews@gmail.com to set up a meeting with a member of the interview & input team if you want to know more.

The Spaces team has also stayed in touch with the Mayor's office as he does preparatory work for a future Chateau Commission. The work of this commission will be to figure out the best use of the Chateau Theater once the purchase is finalized. We will keep you posted on the Chateau Commission as we learn more about the Mayor's plan and what the City Council proposes for this decision process.

Programming and Public Art
The #Art4Trails project is making great strides. The committee is finishing a proposal for a grant from SEMAC to help fund this exciting idea for public art along the bike trail in downtown Rochester. #Art4Trails is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2016, so be ready for a Call for Art to be coming your way in the fall of 2015.

Policy
The policy team is keeping abreast of what is happening with the Public Art Master Plan consultant proposal. The latest from the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust is that the work will probably start in July. As the consultant begins to put his oversight committee together, our understanding is that it will comprise representation from a broad swath of the community.  We look forward to fresh eyes and a fresh perspective for a sorely needed piece of policy.

Communication

As always, you can be in touch with the Collaborative through our email raccnews@gmail.com, our Facebook page, our Twitter feed (@RACCMN), or this blog. We welcome and exist because of feedback and participation. Don't be shy - if something interests you or you see a need, reach out.  Join us in our big tent of collaboration, creativity and community!

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.