ALLENTOWN, Pa. — “Art teaches nothing,” posited American novelist Henry Miller, “except the significance of life.”
Those bracing for a counter argument from any of the 25 folks affiliated with the Lehigh Valley arts communities who came before the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts on Monday should expect to wait an eternity.
Or longer.
The PAC conducted a brainstorming seminar at Lehigh Valley Planning Commission offices to advance a statewide arts and culture plan.
“There’s a growing recognition that the creative sector is a key to the quality of life in the region."Keith M. Chase, senior strategist, Gannett-Fleming consulting group
The PCA is a state agency designed to strengthen the cultural, educational and economic vitality of communities through the arts.
“We come to your community today to find out what’s on your mind and how we can strengthen your community,” PCA Executive Director Karl Blischkesaid.
As part of its strategic planning effort, the PCA selected Gannett Fleming-Dering Consulting Group of Harrisburg to facilitate a planning process that is both inclusive and visionary.
Keith M. Chase, senior strategist at Gannett-Fleming, moderated the two-hour seminar.
“We hope these sessions really change the language of how creatives can impact the workforce,” said Amanda Lovell, PCA director of access to the creative sector.
'A key to the quality of life'
The strategic plan consists of listening to community stakeholders in nine seminars throughout the state through a series of community conversations from Aug. 19-29.
Following the nine community conversations, the council will have a strategy retreat in October. By the end of December, the PCA expects to have a full understanding of the challenges and opportunities and formulate the best course of action.
“We need to get more players at the table. And I hope PCA can do that. A regional cultural plan would fit into this plan.”Sean King, managing director of the Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance
“There’s a growing recognition that the creative sector is a key to the quality of life in the region,” Chase said.
Attendees were divided into several small groups to discuss focus points including policy and regulation, education and skills, creative sector development, community development and visibility for the creative sector and PCA
Sean King, managing director of the Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance, said a key to the plan would be to develop a regional digital marketing strategy to collaborate all parts of the Lehigh Valley.
“We need to get more players at the table,” King said. “And I hope PCA can do that. A regional cultural plan would fit into this plan.”
'Find a way to highlight that'
Norberto Dominguez, creative director of Allentown Public Theater, said Pennsylvania is the ninth most rural state in America.
“Our rural communities don’t often get a lot of media attention about what’s going on in other communities,” Dominguez said. “And Allentown has a fast-growing African-American community. We need to find a way to highlight that.”
Founded in 1966, the PCA is recognized as a grants maker, awarding 1,300-1,600 grants a year, Blischke said. It has an annual budget of $9.5 million.
Chelsea Morrese of the Lafayette College Landis Center for Community Engagement favored highlighting arts as a career in the Lehigh Valley.
Lisa Jordan, managing director of Touchstone Theater in Bethlehem, said she would like to see an opportunity to learn about the possibility of a creative individual impact the arts could have on other industries.
Rico Reyes, director of art galleries and curator of art collections at Lafayette College, emphasized the importance of the need to better tell stories, from individual artists, to organizations, to big regional projects.
“We need to say how grants will affect artists, communities and their impact,” Reyes said. “We could focus on using digital media to record oral histories.”
Reyes also suggested leveraging digital media to reach rural communities and in different languages to deliver the message.
'Designed to make us better'
Executive Director Becky A. Bradley was among several members of the LVPC at the event.
Scott Greenly, LVPC director of regional planning, suggested holding professional development meetings locally and statewide to illustrate what issues are important in different communities.
“We’ve created 175,000 jobs and $15 million in compensation. That’s a lot of money. With that budget, our council is doing all we can to create that creative."PCA Chairwoman Susan Owen
Greenly also advocated for increased government support of the creative industry and educating government officials on creative sector needs.
“In Pennsylvania, two counties — Lackawanna County and Allegheny County — raise funds for the arts,” he said. “Lackawanna raises well over $1 million for the arts. The Lehigh Valley should do that, too.”
Jeffrey A. Parks, founder of ArtsQuest, is PCA council chairman of the 13-person citizen faction. The council also consists of state legislative members.
Pennsylvania has $31 billion in creative industry funding, PCA Chairwoman Susan Owen said.
“We’ve created 175,000 jobs and $15 million in compensation,” Owen said. “That’s a lot of money. With that budget, our council is doing all we can to create that creative.
“We always say there are three things creatives do for the community: enhance, encourage and empower. All of you know that it's designed to make us better.”
