Letter to the editor: Aiding the arts (GF Recorder 9/28/2014)

Aiding the arts

There have been a number of recent letters about the plight of artists in area.

First, be aware there are number of state initiatives, such as the local cultural councils, there is one in EVERY TOWN, which has a grant cycle that needs to be submitted by Oct 15. If you have not seen an announcement for your town in The Recorder, look up your town at mass-culture. org.

Second, there is the Creative Economy Network, with Fostering the Art and Culture Project being the Franklin County partner who runs monthly events and the Creative Economy Summit coming in March in Shelburne Falls; and third, there are many local galleries and art/studio tours in the area.

While these help artists, there is no panacea that artists still have to address the basic challenge of any small product-oriented business: you still have to make the product to sell, which for most artists largely means finding a way to support their life creating their art. Unlike many countries, we do not provide any level of basic sustenance for creative endeavors. It is up to individuals to realize that life is not worth living without various objects of beauty around us, and for businesses to realize that making design a key part of their product or service serves both their social obligations and business needs.

RICH ROTH
Greenfield Local Culture Council
Fostering Art and Culture in Franklin County
Hidden-Tech.net