Cultural Summit

I attended the 2009 Cultural Leadership Summit at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University today. The focus was on the important role of the arts, history and culture in generating a desirable quality of life in Alabama. The goal was to explore how we can come together to support and showcase our crucial significance to economic development, improvement of human resources, and overall enrichment of the lives of the citizens of this state.

The opening address was presented by Charles McCrary, president and CEO of Alabama Power Company. He is a left brain person who has been taught to enjoy and appreciate the arts. (He has an engineering degree from Auburn.) Until that happened though he wasn't particularly interested in the arts. He said that we need to find a way to connect to left brain people. What is the definition of culture for the "left brain"? Mr. McCrary said that the arts and humanities are more important than ever with our current economy and war. Songs rally people (Tie a Yellow Ribbon to the Old Oak Tree) and movies and books offer escape. Movie attendance this year is up 16%.

Many people think the arts and humanities are a luxury, that math and science are more important. It can't be either math and science or the arts--we need both. Students involved in the arts do better in academic subjects.

We need to find a way to tell our story to convince the left brain group how important the arts are. We are a rich resource for economic development. We need to get left brain people involved and show them the opportunities that the arts offer. He called it cracking the code for left brain people. Find creative ways to tell them our story. Captivate them, it's contagious.

The importance of the arts is not readily evident. You can see a bridge. We artists are the bridge in art.

The panel discussion included six panelists: Gail Andrews, director, Birmingham Museum of Art; Ed Bridges, director, Alabama Department of Archives and History; T.C. Coley, director, Tuskeegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center; Al Head, director, Alabama State Council on the Arts; Bob Stewart, director, Alabama Humanities Foundation and Shirley Spears, director, B.B. Comer Memorial Library in Sylacauga. Marilyn Laufer, director, Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art was the moderator.

Some of the things that were said: Artists are ambidextrously-brained because we deal with both art and business. Left brain economic development is being driven by right brain artists. The local industry in the Black Belt Region is the culture. Our primary mission is education no matter what the subject. Each community and institution has a responsibility to tell our story. We have many ways to communicate including the internet and face-to-face. We need to build a broader more diverse audience. We are urged to be players which will require time, trouble and commitment. We need to develop longterm relationships with everyone, especially legislators. People respond to people. We have to be informed when we tell our story. Give people life changing experiences with the arts. The arts are fun and a lot more. The arts are a way to teach and a way to learn. In these hard times get more volunteers to help. We have a lot of older people now who are a valuable resource. Use surveys and listen to feedback to see what people want. Partner with companies and get sponsors for programs and events. There is a golf trail in Alabama why not have a museum trail or arts trail?

Artists are not afraid of hard work or solving problems and we are certainly committed. It is up to us to get the word out about how important the arts are to our economy and why the arts should be seen as necessary in the funding process. It seems that many people including legislators are left brain people who need to be shown that the arts and humanities are a necessity to our culture and our economy. Winston Churchill, when asked why he insisted that the theaters remain open in England during WWII said, "to remind us what we're fighting for." The arts are fighting for survival. We all need to go out and "tell our story."