Cultural Arts Commission could be restored, thanks to volunteers' renewed efforts

Editorials

In our view Aug. 8: Cheers & Jeers

Cultural Arts Commission could be restored, thanks to volunteers' renewed efforts

Saturday, August 8 | 1:00 a.m.

Cheers: To Vancouver City Council members for considering a resurrection of the Cultural Arts Commission that was disbanded in 2005. City Manager Pat McDonnell says he will present more details to the council soon. "I think one of the reasons why the cultural committee faded is really a lack of resources to implement things," McDonnell said.

Now, though, local volunteers are becoming more active, especially in studying outside funding. Llewellyn Rhoe, founder of the Arts Equity theater at Sixth and Main that now is used by Magenta Theater, offers Portland's Regional Arts & Culture Council as an example. That group receives money from the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources and uses it for grants to artists and arts organizations.

Kudos also to Joel Littauer, who certainly has done his homework as a board member of the Southwest Washington Center for the Arts, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver Children's Opera. Littauer uses Palm Springs, Calif., as an example. There, the city closes its primary street on Thursday nights for entertainment, art and food sales and other activities.

That same type of block closure is being considered for an undetermined portion of Vancouver's Main Street to showcase the First Friday Art Walk series.

We hope the city takes the momentum generated by local volunteers and uses it to restore the Cultural Arts Commission. It would not only be a great way to help revitalize downtown Vancouver, but also would help elevate the quality of life for all of Clark County.