Published in the Star Exponent Monday, September 20, 2010:
The Living Towns workshop held in Culpeper last Thursday was a world class program. The speakers were very well credentialed in their respective fields. The topics covered were very timely and will have a lasting impact on our community.
The topics covered by the first panel began with Recreation, Tourism, and Area Identity. Greg Kelly, Town Manager delivered and impressive presentation about the development of the arts in Abington Virginia. One of their marketing identities is that they are within driving distance of 7 major cities, which supports a significant part of their tourism during the year.
The next 2 presentations were about trail development, recreation, and economic development. This was especially interesting considering the large number of cycling athletes and enthusiasts in Culpeper. One recommendation was to connect trails to the town in order to facilitate easy access for the community. Trails can be a great way of encouraging healthier lifestyles as well as an economic boost to the communities that have embraced the concept.
The second panel discussion was focused on the Arts with a discussion about the importance and impact of the arts on a community. Theresa Cameron, Director of Membership, Americans for the Arts provided a rich detail of statics, showing the positive impact of the arts on economic development. The following two speakers also commented that the Americans for the Arts is one of the best resources regarding the creative community.
Mary Beth Aungier, The General Manager for the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville was moving in her descriptions. She has a passion for educating the youth about theatre. The Paramount is more than a theatre run by a non-profit organization. It is a part of history in Charlottesville. As we say in Culpeper, “it is still making history” by inspiring the youth of today toward being our leaders of tomorrow. All of this, in addition to bringing world class artists to the theatre, interesting to youth of all ages…
Susan Jennings introduced us to what is going on in Roanoke City. The project is called Creative Roanoke and has a well defined process to develop and sustain the arts. Susan made it sound so inviting to travel to Roanoke to experience the arts. We can learn much from their success.
The speakers in the afternoon panel 3 continued the discussion about arts with presentation by Maggie Guggenheimer, the Executive Director of the Piedmont Council for the Arts. She described their support of the arts in Charlottesville and offered suggestions about bringing together the art community in collaborative ways.
One of the final speakers was Carrie Beach, an urban planner with the City of Alexandria. She discussed the recent Wayfinding and Signage plan being adopted by the City of Alexandria. The challenge was to find a balance with form and function amidst the variety of unique places. Ultimately, communicating to motorists and pedestrians paths to their destination in a consistent “Alexandria” signage to provide a more attractive community.
Thank you to RRRC Director, Jeff Walker and his staff for making this important workshop possible and especially for bringing this 100 person workshop to Culpeper.
Best Regards
Jim Charapich
President / CEO
The Living Towns workshop held in Culpeper last Thursday was a world class program. The speakers were very well credentialed in their respective fields. The topics covered were very timely and will have a lasting impact on our community.
The topics covered by the first panel began with Recreation, Tourism, and Area Identity. Greg Kelly, Town Manager delivered and impressive presentation about the development of the arts in Abington Virginia. One of their marketing identities is that they are within driving distance of 7 major cities, which supports a significant part of their tourism during the year.
The next 2 presentations were about trail development, recreation, and economic development. This was especially interesting considering the large number of cycling athletes and enthusiasts in Culpeper. One recommendation was to connect trails to the town in order to facilitate easy access for the community. Trails can be a great way of encouraging healthier lifestyles as well as an economic boost to the communities that have embraced the concept.
The second panel discussion was focused on the Arts with a discussion about the importance and impact of the arts on a community. Theresa Cameron, Director of Membership, Americans for the Arts provided a rich detail of statics, showing the positive impact of the arts on economic development. The following two speakers also commented that the Americans for the Arts is one of the best resources regarding the creative community.
Mary Beth Aungier, The General Manager for the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville was moving in her descriptions. She has a passion for educating the youth about theatre. The Paramount is more than a theatre run by a non-profit organization. It is a part of history in Charlottesville. As we say in Culpeper, “it is still making history” by inspiring the youth of today toward being our leaders of tomorrow. All of this, in addition to bringing world class artists to the theatre, interesting to youth of all ages…
Susan Jennings introduced us to what is going on in Roanoke City. The project is called Creative Roanoke and has a well defined process to develop and sustain the arts. Susan made it sound so inviting to travel to Roanoke to experience the arts. We can learn much from their success.
The speakers in the afternoon panel 3 continued the discussion about arts with presentation by Maggie Guggenheimer, the Executive Director of the Piedmont Council for the Arts. She described their support of the arts in Charlottesville and offered suggestions about bringing together the art community in collaborative ways.
One of the final speakers was Carrie Beach, an urban planner with the City of Alexandria. She discussed the recent Wayfinding and Signage plan being adopted by the City of Alexandria. The challenge was to find a balance with form and function amidst the variety of unique places. Ultimately, communicating to motorists and pedestrians paths to their destination in a consistent “Alexandria” signage to provide a more attractive community.
Thank you to RRRC Director, Jeff Walker and his staff for making this important workshop possible and especially for bringing this 100 person workshop to Culpeper.
Best Regards
Jim Charapich
President / CEO
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