February 12, 2013Issue 79
In This Issue
 

 

We need your help. Support campus revitalization efforts:

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or mail checks to:
Alaska Arts SE
PO Box 3086
Sitka, AK 99835

 
 
SFAC Director Attends "Creative Placemaking Summit"
Last year, a national program called ArtPlace awarded SFAC a $350,000 grant to help with the revitalization of the Sheldon Jackson Campus. Recently, Director Roger Schmidt was invited to ArtPlace's "Creative Placemaking Summit" in Miami Beach, Florida. Nearly two hundred grantees and funders attended. Participants represented arts organizations, federal and municipal level government, and diverse other community development interests. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from other communities' experiences and really consider what builds strong communities. 
 
Interested in learning more about the role arts can have in community building in Sitka? Read on:
 
Making a Place for Art
 

At the end of January, SFAC Director Roger Schmidt attended ArtPlace's "Creative Placemaking Summit." The term 'creative placemaking' may not make its way into your dinner conversation, but it is becoming a new force in community building. I asked Roger what exactly creative placemaking means. He said, "It is having arts be part of the solution toward a healthy community." For so many years, we as a nation have articulated city building as an economic problem. But communities are demonstrating the importance of also developing arts and cultural resources to add value to cities of all sizes. This strengthens the economy in ways that an agenda of job creation alone cannot... [Continues here]

 
2/16: Saturday Volunteer Party
Thank you to all who turned out to paint and stain at last Saturday's volunteer party. We will be having another volunteer party this Saturday 2/16. The party will begin at 9am at Allen Hall and continue into the afternoon. As always, all are welcome to join anytime, and a hot lunch will be provided.
Thanks for the ongoing support,   
Chelsea Andreozzi, Program Administrator