To continue arts and culture initiatives started by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Arts Programming Sustainability Initiative (APSI), the Springfield Regional Arts Council hosted its first quarterly Round Table on September 25 for arts/culture organizations and area university/college arts departments to network, share current programs/events and discuss topics pertaining to the broader cultural community.

60% Hotel-Motel tax returned to nonprofits

Although the tables weren’t really round, the event started off on an upbeat note as SRAC executive director Leah Hamilton announced that Springfield City Council had voted in favor of a plan to return 60% of the hotel-motel tax dollars previously relinquished by the Wonders of Wildlife museum to nonprofits for projects designed to attract tourists to the city.

New UDA arts programing opportunities for Park Central Square

Rusty Worley from the Urban Districts Alliance presented a new plan for programing arts groups on the square. Citing the success of First Friday Arts Walks and renovation of the Historic Park Central Square in attracting attendance to the point that the Square becomes overly-congested with teens on First Friday evenings. The UDA plans to expand event opportunities for the teens at other downtown locations such as Jubelee Park and the YMCA. The UDA sill partner with an arts organization each First Friday to provide programed features on the Square to highlight the partner organization. Art of Space in featured in November, and the UDA is looking for arts partners for April and September in 2013.

New Vision for the Springfield Art Museum

Nick Nelson, the new executive director of the Springfield Art Museum, presented a powerpoint outline of the mission, values, goals and strategies, and new vision of the museum. The museum is currently reexamining its role in the Springfield community, asking what value the museum contributes to the community and serve as cultural resource.

Nelson stressed that the museum want its collection and art and cultural resources to be accessible. Mentioning that museums sometimes have a reputation of being elite, he reminded the group that the museum is open most days, totally free to the public.

Additionally he sited a desire for collaboration with community and announces a new partnership with Springfield Little Theatre to do performance-based art in the galleries. Nelson said,

Together we can create something really wonderful — as a community we can do that. On listening tours, I’ve found that we can’t be everything to everyone, but we can be something to some people. Many people want the museum to be a special place. That’s what we need to find out — how to be a place of beauty, of culture. An attraction, a place for entertainment, and the museum as a laboratory to experiment and develop creativity. For instance in the sixties, when most people couldn’t just learn to blow glass, the Toledo Museum of Art sponsored a residency program to do that.

Other notable current events and programs by arts organizations

  • Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts is starting a new season of performances and education classes
  • Little Theatre is currently presenting Les Miserables through October 7 and next production of Noises Off will start October 26
  • Springfield Art Museum is hosting bus tours for area fifth grade classes
  • Moxie facing crisis of replacing digital projection equipment, is fundraising for two new projectors which will result in a fantastic new images quality for movies
  • Springfield Contemporary Theatre will be producing an original script of Night of the Living Dead using live actors and digital projections during the month of October
  • Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s next project Avenue Q will feature sponsored puppets in sort of a “Sesame Street meets SouthPark” production
  • Springfield Symphony will be featuring prospective new conductors through this year’s season of concerts and will soon be partnering with M-Dock Band at University Plaza
  • Springfield Ballet is starting a program featuring agility classes for boys
  • Springfield Public Works has a new Tumblr blog called SGF Public Works and is inviting artists and organizations to suggest partnerships for public art projects
  • Springfield Art museum has a new Tumblr blog called Stories of Springfield and they invite people to contribute
  • The Community Foundation’s rural schools initiative is in its 3rd year and will do  7 unique projects this year
  •  Moxie Morning for small children happens on Saturdays and will feature a story-boarding program for 3-5 graders

Leah Hamilton wrapped up the roundtable, proclaiming that the arts are obviously alive and well, and the next roundtable is scheduled for December at the Hammons Hall for Performing Arts. Arts organizations may submit program ideas to the SRAC.