this is good

During the panel, i wrote this is good, at the top of my notepad as both a note and an affirmation for myself. Leading up to the panel i felt a twinge of anxiety that we might have given the impression that we had the answers and were inviting people to listen, but the truth was the answer is just revealing itself to us now. During Fred Delk's presentation about his development projects in columbia I began noting the ideas that might be applicable to developing a possible charleston model:
1)an emphasis on local talent
2)the development of an ownership model
3)for charleston the development of a flexible use space similar to yerba buena
4)a focus on an open process of development
5)an emphasis on cross collaboration between discplines.
Delk and muldrow also talked about multiple models for financial stability for an artist space, including the co-op model, development of a community land/building trust,and a clear focus on the audience that would be served. Chris price of primesouth, was very open to exploring the feasibility of building or retrofitting an existing space to create this artist owned community. He pointed out the fact that if we created something like the torpedo factory or similar artist communities, we would create a real tourist draw for the city and provide an anchor for the artistic community. All the panelists agreed that cities are remembered for their culture and not necessarily for their retail. Tripp emphasized the idea that we want to avoid the "mt pleasant towne center effect" It also seems essential that for out next meeting we involve city planners, design developers, city managers, and bankers who develop financing schemes for these types of projects. I was also really pleased that members of the theater and music community were present and made a commitment to come to future planning meetings. At dinner afterwards we were already discussing the ideas for our next panel. I think one other strong take away point was something buff cited from the Yerba Buena mission, and that was the development of themes for all the arts to focus on together. I still drive by the old coppleston's cleaner building on meeting street and think that would be the place. Last night was alot to digest but it will also trickle in as we sort through the questionnaires that people filled out and the emails that will trickle in in the next several days, again it feels like the work is only beginning.

what we can do now to get ready for the panel

as the panel gets closer, and the weather moves from spring to summer now is a good time to contemplate what we can do. while having lunch with our moderator buff ross he reminded me of another grand model for integrating arts and culture into the fabric of a city, the Yerba Buena center for the arts and the yerba buena alliance. We also talked about how the panel is a chance for everyone to get on the same page in developing a unified center. One analogy for our project could be something like the Charleston Visitors center relationship to tourism. The People's art center would be a unifier and access point to the larger arts, music, theater, and literature communities of Charleston. Rather than competing with or supplanting another cultural institution's role in our community, the Peoples art center would be the visitors center for the arts in Charleston. We are at a unique moment in Charleston's cultural history, and we are poised to take an active role in developing the direction that history can take.
What we can do now is put our ideas, questions, examples of other models and ideas for discussion topics down in email format and shoot them over to questions@peoplesartcenter.com
all questions will be compiled and used to help develop the flow of the panel and to make sure that as many voices as possible are represented