Mailbag: Arts plan needs to be better thought out

Village Laguna appreciates that the Cultural Arts Plan has provided the opportunity and forum for focusing on the artistic life of our community.

Unfortunately, the plan’s recommendations seem to be almost solely based on opinions expressed in a community survey in which 40% of the respondents do not live in Laguna Beach. The plan also jumps to an unwarranted conclusion that a new cultural arts facility is needed, yet the public workshop group devoted to that topic concluded that better use of existing facilities is preferred.

The plan recommends against considering the movie theater as a possible community arts venue, yet it proposes a new large cultural facility with no location identified.

Although the plan includes an inventory and description of existing facilities, it doesn’t tell us why they’re insufficient. In addition, the necessary analyses of existing programs, assets and participants are missing or incomplete. There ought to be inventories of existing arts programs, of public art (along with a professional evaluation of the collection), of artists residing and/or working in Laguna and their housing and studio situations, and of community arts education programs and organizations (are there overlaps or gaps?), as well an assessment of the operation and roles of the arts commission.

Acknowledging that the local fundraising environment is difficult, the plan relies heavily on funding from the city to sustain and expand the arts. Given that the city has many funding obligations, we should choose only those projects that contribute most to the welfare of the community as a whole. We suggest that the city explore a potential role as a facilitator, helping various organizations work cooperatively to meet the community’s arts needs.

While we question whether constructing new artists housing is either desirable or financially sound, we support programmatic ways and subsidies to assist our artists to stay in Laguna. Ideas that come to mind include “fringe festivals,” the use of empty retail space for pop-up shows, expansion of the farmers market to include art, vouchers for housing, grants for supplies.

Our artists settled here because the place inspired them and the moment was right — no one planned it. It seems likely that Laguna Beach will continue to inspire artists the same way it always has. Rather than artificially directing the artist community to become an art colony with international cachet, the Cultural Arts Plan should focus on providing an open, creative atmosphere and fostering public interest and participation.

Johanna Felder

President of Village Laguna

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Columnist right about parade — in some respects

I think columnist David Hansen’s March 11 critique of this year’s Patriots Day Parade is well-intentioned (“Laguna parade getting tired at 50?). And much of it I would agree with.

As to the parts where we differ, here are some thoughts:

The attendance this year was actually better than average in recent years. We estimated it at 8,000 — 10,000 along the route, with most spectators observing from Glenneyre and Forest. (This was below our record of about 15,000 in 2006 after the Minuteman brouhaha.)

But he is definitely right: More locals could attend. And hey, after all, it’s our parade! Our residents are now well into the third generation of participating in something that is close to being a Laguna rite of passage.

The parade is all-volunteer. The Rose Parade it ain’t. Frankly, one of our problems over the years has been the gradual decline of volunteerism in our community. Anyone here who has participated in our local nonprofits knows that it’s the same old stalwarts who do all the scut work. Believe me, putting on the parade involves a ton of it, and most of it is unglamorous and unheralded.

This year’s lack of celebrities was intentional. To celebrate the 50th parade, we wanted to pick honorees with deep roots in Laguna. None were more worthy than our fourth-generation Grand Marshal Kelly Boyd. Patriot Carlos McAfee probably holds the highest decorations for gallantry in combat than anyone in the town.

Our citizen Stu Saffer has done as much as anyone to keep civil discourse alive here. Athletes Nick Hernandez and Sam Stinett have taken Laguna’s homegrown sport of skimboarding to international and professional levels. Artist Dion Wright helped start the Sawdust, another Laguna institution. In all, I think it was a great group of Lagunans being honored.

Yet, as is correctly pointed out: We need to do a better job of getting the word out. I have often wondered if most folks get their news of the parade from the blinking traffic signs in the canyon and on Coast Highway warning them to choose alternate routes. Some publicity machine!

We really do need a proper publicist with a good sense of what would make the parade a livelier experience. What I’m wondering: Is David Hansen available?

Charlie Quilter

Parade president