State Representative David Bly, MN District 25B

John H. Potter, executive director of the Phipps Center for the Arts, addressed an interested crowd of artists and community members at this year’s first ArtSwirl event. The Phipps Center is a 1,000 member art organization housed in a $7,000,000 facility in Hudson, Wisconsin. The Center serves residents of the St. Croix valley region of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It was interesting to hear him describe the history and evolution of the Phipps Center and its relationship with other smaller arts groups through out the St. Croix Valley. Potter indicated he was unfamiliar with the ‘Arts Town’ concept and wanted to hear more about it.

This event was hosted by the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation, I appreciate the work that NDDC is doing and the conversation about what kind of town we should be and how to promote it. I talked awhile with NDDC President Dan Bergeson and he talked about their hard work and plans to increase their budget to do more. I asked Dan what he does to keep his spirits up and he said he has enjoyed playing his trumpet again. Dan and I were members of the same Boy Scout troop and I remembered how he was our bugle boy eons ago and a good one at that.

Potter’s talk was about the importance of art in community life and whole heartedly support this idea, but I am often concerned that we overlook or exclude some folks from access to the arts or reject some art forms because of class issues. I mentioned this in my blog a while ago. When thinking about an ‘Arts Town’ I hope our idea of what that encompasses is inclusive rather than exclusive. One reason I like community theater is that it draws people from all walks of life because we are all exposed to acting and drama. You do not necessarily have to be highly educated or experienced to get involved. But this can be true to lots of artistic expression if more opportunities for expression are offered.
The Arts Guild and ArtOrg are both attempting to do this by offering space and access to equipment in the visual arts. A simple example is the community painting at the ArtSwirl kick off on Thursday.

But perhaps we also need to see art differently too. There are very creative people creating things around us that we may not at first glance think of as art but I argue perhaps we should take a second look. Art is and has been from the caveman to the present a celebration of community and the human spirit we all should have the opportunity to partake in it. For what it’s worth that’s my take on the ‘Arts Town’ idea.