Strengthening the cultural connection between art and quality of life in the community is among the objectives for Jefferson City's parks director.
Todd Spalding, director of the city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, sees a natural kinship between the agency and the local arts community.
Our city is a beneficiary of both a municipal advisory board, The Cultural Arts Commission, and a vibrant arts scene, represented by the membership of Capital Arts, a non-profit organization.
The link, Spalding notes, already is established. Capital Arts occupies and maintains a public art gallery at the Washington Park Center, which is owned and operated by the city agency and formerly served as its headquarters.
Spalding said the concept is in its infancy, but offers much potential. Eventually, he sees the possibility of adding a staff member to help write grants or assist arts projects and initiatives in other ways.
He plans to begin by examining and learning from the examples of other communities that are connecting their parks agencies with arts programs. Examples he cited include Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; and Nashville, Tennessee.
As a start, he said the department could offer its existing databases to aid arts groups with administrative duties and promotional activities. "This could be just another element of existing staff being able to market it more," he said. "They're doing a great job now. I simply want to see if there are areas we can help and take some burden off them."
His assessment is accurate.
The Cultural Arts Commission is among the city's most active advisory boards and commissions.
And Capital Arts is involved in a range of initiatives to enhance interest in the arts and raise its profile in the community.
The city's parks department and the local arts community are thriving individually. Working together, the mutual benefit raises exiting new possibilities to enhance the quality of life in Central Missouri.