What: Clark County Arts and Culture Summit.
When: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3.
Where: Artillery Barracks, Fort Vancouver National Site, 600 E. Hatheway Road.
Cost: $25 per person. Registration is required.
On the Web: Arts of Clark County.
When Pat La Croix attended a statewide arts conference at Skamania Lodge last year, she was one of only a handful of Clark County residents at the event. There were no presenters from the county. No local groups.
In other words, Clark County’s arts scene was barely a blip on the radar.
“That’s when we discovered that we weren’t represented in any way, shape or form,” said La Croix, who works as a jewelry maker, painter and photographer.
What: Clark County Arts and Culture Summit.
When: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3.
Where: Artillery Barracks, Fort Vancouver National Site, 600 E. Hatheway Road.
Cost: $25 per person. Registration is required.
On the Web: Arts of Clark County.
A daylong arts and culture summit in Vancouver next week aims to change that. “Creating a Voice,” being held March 3 at the Artillery Barracks of the Fort Vancouver National Site, will highlight the region’s art community and explore ways to raise its profile and presence locally. Part of the goal is to help bolster a part of Clark County’s identity that often goes unnoticed, said La Croix, who’s helping organize the event.
“The arts are more than just the paintings on the wall,” La Croix said. “It’s an integral part of our culture, our lives. If we don’t have it, we’re really missing out.”
The summit, sponsored by the Vancouver-based nonprofit Arts of Clark County, will gather several regional leaders and panelists to cover a wide range of topics. Conversations will touch on the relationship between art and cities, creating arts opportunities and how businesses and educators play a role in their success.
The first panel discussion, “Cities Connecting with the Arts,” will include former La Center Mayor Liz Cerveny, along with the current mayors of Lake Oswego and Beaverton, Ore.
In Vancouver, the city has fewer resources for public art than it once did, said program and policy development manager Jan Bader. Much of the city’s cultural work comes through partnerships with other organizations, she said, perhaps helping with funding or the permitting process on a project.
One of Vancouver’s most recent public art projects brought a World War II-themed sculpture to the Waterfront Renaissance Trail. But the city’s financial capabilities simply aren’t what they used to be, Bader said.
“We’re pretty limited on what we can do,” Bader said.
Leading next week’s discussion will be Anne Stadler, a professional facilitator from the Seattle area who also took on last year’s statewide art conference. Stadler admitted she’s not well-versed on the Clark County arts community, but hopes to learn through the experience. She’s hoping local residents will, too.
“I think people have a very limited understanding of the role of the arts,” Stadler said.
Eric Florip: 360-735-4541; http://twitter.com/col_enviro; eric.florip@columbian.com.
