Gathering & Gratitude

There is a gathering momentum in the arts community in Napa. People are coming together in ways they have not before. They represent diverse age, cultural, socio-economic groups, but they all have one goal: to be a part of something positive that is happening to the arts sector in our county. Recent economic struggles have affected every area of our population - from individuals, to business to government. These challenges continue to highlight the existing bonds between people and forge ways to leverage the incredible resources we have. At this time of Thanksgiving, it is important to stop and reflect on the bounty we have here in Napa.

ACNV is taking this time of transition to review and strengthen all of our programs and initiatives. How can we make what we do even better, more inclusive, and more sustainable? We know that when times are tough in our community and beyond, the arts bring people together in new and incredible ways. The arts remind us of our humanity, lift us out of our troubles, and open us up to new ways of seeing. As we restructure internally, we continue to our work on the arts mandate set out by the Cultural Plan written by the community in 2008.

Sincerely,
Kristina Young
Acting Executive Director
Arts Council Napa Valley

Cultural Plan Activity Update
November 2009

In order to keep the local community informed on the progress to implement the Napa County Cultural Plan written in 2008, Arts Council Napa Valley (ACNV) will publish a monthly update. Below you will find the plan’s four major strategic directions, which includes the work ACNV and their partners have done to reach these goals in the past month. The Cultural Plan was drafted in 2008 entirely from community input.

Build Effective Awareness of the Arts and
Increase Cultural Tourism

On October 6th, ACNV presented its master online arts calendar (www.nvarts.com) at the quarterly meeting of the new Concierge Alliance of Napa Valley. We continue to strengthen this tool to bring the arts to the local hospitality industry. ACNV also expanded the calendar to include a community resource for volunteer events such as the upcoming Napa's Project Homeless Connect, sponsored by the Volunteer Center, on Friday, November 20th. The new Underground calendar highlights events and activities for pop, indie and experimental art in the Napa Valley.

ACNV staff has also created two Facebook pages to highlight specific events from the calendar and ACNV activities. If you would like to know what is going on in the Valley you can become an Arts Council Napa Valley fan or join the Arts Council Napa Valley Facebook group.

Ensure Inclusion & Expand Local Arts Education

In October, ACNV partnered with Napa County Office of Education to make the annual Napa County Reads program the most successful to date. ACNV enlisted the help of 24 member artists and 22 Napa High art students to raise money for the program by creating original bookends inspired by this year's chosen novel ("Reaching Out", by Dr. Francisco Jiménez). The bookends were then sold in silent auction at the event at the Napa Valley Opera House. Click here to see photos of this special event.

In October, ACNV also received Arts in Education funding from two generous sources: Foster's Group and The Sato Family Foundation, which will directly support arts learning in classrooms and community festivals throughout the county as well as professional development training for our teaching artists.

Establish Effective Arts Public Policies & Build Arts Advocacy Coalition

Objective: Cooperatively develop a sustainable percentage allocation for art policies at city and county levels supporting public art.

On October 5th, Napa City Council accepted a proposal for the first ARTwalk in Downtown Napa, a program ACNV created in partnership the City of Napa's Redevelopment Agency.

ACNV continues to work with the City of Napa on the passing the Public Art Ordinance, tentatively scheduled to go before the City Planning Commission on November 19th. When this date is confirmed, ACNV will send out a call to the arts community to speak in support of the ordinance at City Hall during public comment.

Maximize & Mine Arts Resources

Objective: Identify existing spaces that can be utilized as studio, rehearsal, exhibition, or performance space.

On October 27th, Wandering Rose's monthly Community Open Forum focused on the possibility of creating an arts community center in Napa. ACNV Acting Executive Director Kristina Young presented a history of ACNV's efforts to reach that goal. Assistant City Manager, Dana Smith, offered insights into the city's role in providing support for such a project. This important conversation will continue at the next Community Open Forum on November 17th, from 7-9PM at diRosa. Interested members of the public are encouraged to attend.

Wandering Rose is a collective of artists and art activists from throughout the Napa Valley who have organized to promote, develop, and foster within each other a community-based culture for emerging and underrepresented arts. All are welcome to join the group and encouraged to participate as contributors or audiences during their monthly Open Mic Nights, weekly Visual Arts/Writers Workshop, Community Open Forums, and special events like NV Battle of the Bands 2009. They have been working to bring the Napa community together through workshops, events, and meetings in support of Napa, the arts community, and all things labeled as alternative, underground, fringe, counterculture or what they call "Pop, Indie, and Experimental". For more information on Wandering Rose please visit www.wanderingrose.org and visit the Underground Calendar or www.nvarts.org for event information.

Other Arts News

NVarts.org (ACNV's Arts & Culture Event Calendar) was redesigned with great new tools to make searching for events easier. It's chock full of events and being maintained 24/7 for your event-surfing pleasure! Special thanks to James Curt Byrum as the new Volunteer Calendar Manager and Spokesperson.

ACNV would like to thank Nancy and Melissa Garden of The White Barn, for their support and donated proceeds from their White Barn Winter Fair on Nov 20-22, 2009.

Also, a big congratulations to the Town of Yountville on the opening of their New Community Center, which includes an Art Room, new Library, Teen Room, Public Meeting Spaces, and four exterior sculptures on loan from local artist, Gordon Huether.

ACNV welcomes new staff member, Olivia Everett of Wandering Rose as Administrative Assistant.

Become a Member and/or Donate

ACNV is a support and promotional organization for arts and culture in Napa County. Consider becoming a member and/or donating. Your membership sustains Arts Education, supports NVarts.org calendar—which increases the local and cultural tourism industries and thrusts new programs into action such as ARTwalk and more! Benefits.

Donate To: Arts Education	Student/Senior $25	Member Artist/Supporter $25	Registered Artist $50
Non-Prof Annl Bdgt $100-500k - $100	Non-Prof Annl Bdgt $500k-1M - $200	Non-Prof Annl Bdgt $1M+ - $300	Corporation $300

Thank you Major Donors, Sponsors & Arts Associates

BECOME A PARTNER For those interested in directly supporting the arts, please consider becoming a partner with the Arts Council by offering discounts to ACNV members. Click here for more info.

Graphics by Kristine Cummins.