“I am both honored and privileged to be giving the first inaugural annual report of the Hastings Arts and Culture Commission,” Barb Hollenbeck began. “We had an interesting year, as you know, we just completed our first year in this March. We kind of crafted as we went, we're still learning, we have a long way to go. But we did accomplish a few things, some pretty interesting things that we did for the city and hope to continue that in the future.”
Hollenbeck reported that during the last six months of conversations, recurring themes kept coming up centered around visual art, performing arts and cultural activities.
“And in addition to working on those three themes, we also have several subcategory or subcommittees that help facilitate some of our internal issues and where we are headed and going, and one of them is off policy and procedures. This year, we are working on a donation policy, how the donated art would come through the city of Hastings and how that would be acceptable and how that would work,” Hollenbeck said. “The other main subcommittee is Outreach and Communications. And our two commissioners work closely with the communications director, they have facilitated working on flyers for the Creative Convergence and working on press releases and any kind of information that goes out through the public realm through the city, also, flushing out the webpage for the Art and Culture Commission… We all have our talents and skills that we like to contribute. The third one that we haven't really activated - a subcommittee and that will be project basis like fundraising and grant writing.”
Although there’s been stumbles along the way, Hollenbeck said the commission had a successful year. “We crafted a brochure for self-guided tours for the public to come through City Hall,” she stated. “We did our inventory of the city assets, which number around 180 - very surprising. We also facilitated the Dale Lewis sculpture for the Hastings Environmental Protectors with their Community Investment Fund grant of Vermillion Falls Linear Park and then also leased and installed three Dale Lewis sculptures on the Riverwalk. It was very important theme for the commission - to reinstate sculptures along the Riverwalk that had been there in the past. And then also there was the fourth Dale Lewis sculpture that had been on loan, and we've arranged a lease payment for Dale Lewis for his leatherback turtle that's under the bridge. We also collaborated with the Pioneer Room and the Historical Society and put on a fabulous tour of this building in January, which resulted in about 125 people going through the tour, so it was very successful and hope to do it again.”
“We also drafted a recommendation for the Lake Rebecca Master Plan. Chris Jenkins, Parks Director, approached us to create a recommendation, so we're excited to see the Master Plan going forward for Lake Rebecca. And then same with the Malcolm Trail project that's coming forward. We were recommending putting in a couple of art benches that's feasible.”
As for upcoming events, on May 9, the third annual Creative Convergence will be held at The Studio Downtown. At this time, Art and Culture commissioner Ryan McCoy will present the new Google Calendar for the art community. A Shakespeare in the park performance will take place on June 30 at Vermillion Falls Park.
As the Arts and Culture report concluded, Hollenbeck expressed appreciation, “I just want to thank the city council and all staff for their support of the Art and Culture Commission. We have had a lot of people express gratitude that the Art and Culture Commission is here, and we hope to continue making Hastings a really cool, beautiful place.”
