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From Suzanne Fetscher, president of the McColl Center for Visual Art:
All of us associated with the McColl Center for Visual Art were disappointed to read George Will's op-ed in last Friday's Observer ("Artists - or politicians?"). Those of us who work in our cultural community encourage robust and meaningful discussions about the role of art in contemporary society. We don't think Will's piece was a fair representation of the broad landscape of arts funding issues or the significant contributions by the creative community in transforming our region and the nation.
The greater Charlotte area is at the dawn of a cultural renaissance that is bringing goodness and economic momentum to all of us. Travel the four-mile stretch in uptown Charlotte, from Historic South End, past our building on North Tryon, to NoDa. You will see galleries, performance places, public art and dynamic architecture that are harbingers of future prosperity.
The engine of this growth is human inspiration - not the political agendas suggested by Will's column. Legions of art supporters of every political stripe, energized by our Arts & Science Council and its affiliates, work together to celebrate and advance the power of creativity at myriad touch-points in our communities.
The arts are as vital to our being as roads and subdivisions, hospitals and houses of worship, schools and stores. According to a 2007 ASC study, our cultural community contributes $158 million to the local economy and thousands of jobs. Those benefits arrive on the wings of innovation and joy through painting, photography, pottery, dance, music and more. I don't believe any of us can imagine a world not propelled by such enlightenment.
I am convinced that creative pursuits hold keys to solving some of the obstinate social challenges of our time. That's why artists associated with the McColl Center open their studios to the public, work in the region's schools, tackle tough social issues in partnership with local nonprofits and teach the creative process to business leaders at our Innovation Institute.
All of this takes money. The majority of our funding comes from a broad variety of generous supporters, from federal and state governments to corporations and individuals, who understand the importance of arts in weaving the rich fabric of society. They know that dollars invested in culture are well spent. Art and artists have key roles to play in our social transformation, as Jeff Chang suggested recently in The Nation:
"Creativity can be a powerful form of organizing communities from the bottom up. The economic crisis gives us a chance to rethink the role of creativity in making a vibrant economy and civil society. Artists as well as community organizers cultivate new forms of knowledge and consciousness....Creativity has become the glue of social cohesion in times of turmoil."
Thanks to the spirited work of many of our community's artists, art enthusiasts, collectors and interested business leaders, a growing number of cultural offerings are awakening an ever-broader audience. Creativity has the power to transform our world. All of us associated with the McColl Center are grateful to live and work in a community that places such a high value on inspiration and confidence in the belief that creative collaboration can make life better for us all.
