Arts Council of the Blue Ridge dismisses employees, becomes all-volunteer organization
The Roanoke arts scene gets its second shake-up within a week, with this unfortunate announcement sent minutes ago from the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge. According to the Arts Council website, the organization had four employees.
The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge Announces a Continuation of its Commitment to the Arts and a Transition to a Volunteer Staff
The Board of Directors of the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge reports that due to a challenging financial situation, a decision has been made to reexamine its core functions and to reorganize to an all volunteer organization. The Board believes that the work of the Arts Council is critically important to the community, so the organization will continue to function as a volunteer organization using the various skills of its existing board members. Over the next month, the volunteer-lead Arts Council will carefully examine its current programs and services as well as assessing future funding options to help address the key programs/services provided to the arts and cultural community in the region.
The board regretfully has made the decision to release the current staff while funding opportunities are pursued. The board is extremely grateful to the staff who have all worked tirelessly to uplift the mission of the Arts Council and provide necessary services to the community in light of these difficult economic times.
The Board has appointed Vern Danielsen, a current Board member, to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Council. Mr. Danielsen will handle the day-to-day activities of the Council and will work with the Board in its Strategic Planning efforts. Wayne Strickland, President of the Arts Council, stated “the Board is pleased to have Mr. Danielsen serve as our Interim Executive Director as the Board evaluates its work in the future. Vern has worked in this region for several decades and has a commitment to ensuring the arts and cultural organizations in the region thrive in the future.”
For 36 years the Arts Council has worked diligently to advocate for arts and cultural organizations in the region as well as support the work of individual artists. Some of the important projects the Council has undertaken over the years include:
- Preparation of Blueprint 2000 (a guide for arts and cultural organizations on working collaboratively to promote the arts in the region and assessing alternative funding opportunities)
- Sponsoring legislative meetings with State and local officials to advocate for arts and cultural organizations
- Conducting economic impact analyses of the arts and culture in the region to highlight its economic importance
- Establishing Roanoke Youth Arts Connections
- Pursuing its signature events – the Kendig Awards and Downtown Living
- Establishment of the GAP program (a donor sponsored program which provided grants to individual artists)
- Developing a comprehensive Arts and Cultural Calendar
- International Cultural Exchanges
The Board is committed to having the Arts Council continue its work to support the arts and culture in the region and looks forward to continued discussions with the community in regards to critical services that it provides to the area.
The current members of the Board include:
- Wayne Strickland, President
- Terry O’Shaughnessy, Vice President
- Kim Smith Ferguson, Treasurer
- Scott Crawford
- Frank Flippin
- Vern Danielsen
- Bill Morris
- Amy Moorefield
- Stephen Pendergrass
- Christopher Walters
October 11, 2012 - 5:47 PM
Well this is very unfortunate. The Arts Council held a focus group meeting with artists this past Monday, Oct 8, which I attended. They told us they were in financial straits, but they were studying what services to maybe cut, what services to focus more keenly on, and ways to generate more revenue. I thought they were being preemptive by having focus group meetings, but I didn’t expect something as drastic as this so soon. I’ve been an artist member of the Council for 2 years, and they do an excellent job is promoting not only the arts in the area, but helping artists themselves. I wish this didn’t happen.
I’m very sorry to hear about this.
That loud sucking sound you hear?
The Taubman Museum’s annual operating budget (around $3.5 million) requires annual donations of at least $2.5 million which is more than one third – more than one third! – the total amount donated to the United Way from the whole Roanoke Valley last year ($6.2 million).
Let that sink in as you consider the museum’s fate, viability, and place in the big scheme of things.
Chris, I fail to see how the Taubman had anything to do with this.
Allow me to correct my grammar: “…they do an excellent job *in* promoting…”
The Arts Council has struggled during its history to know what its best role is within the region. I am sorry to see Rhonda go, as she was an excellent advocate for the arts as director. Funding in the arts among the many organizations in Roanoke has been an ongoing struggle, and with the slow economy we may not have much hope to turn this around any time soon. The arts contribute much to the life of our community, and we tend to take them for granted, and regret their loss when they are gone. Let’s see what will result from the current changes, I do hope there will be a serious role for the Arts Council in revitalizing the place of the arts in the region.