Action items
Key to abbreviations
- RAC
- Roanoke Arts Commission
- ACC
- Arts and Culture Coordinator, City of Roanoke
- ACOs
- Arts and Culture Organizations
- CC
- City Council
- CM
- City Manager
- CCS
- Council of Community Services
- CHS
- Community High School of Arts & Academics
- CofC
- Chamber of Commerce
- CUs
- Colleges and Universities
- DRI
- Downtown Roanoke, Inc.
- ED
- Economic Development Department
- FAs
- Funding Agencies
- GC
- Greenway Commission
- GRTC
- Greater Roanoke Transit Company (Valley Metro)
- LAs
- Local Artists
- PB&D
- Planning, Building and Development
- P&R
- Parks and Recreation Department
- PW
- Public Works Department
- RCPS
- Roanoke City Public Schools
- REG
- Office of the General Registrar
- RPL
- Roanoke Public Libraries
- RHEC
- Roanoke Higher Education Center
- RNA
- Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates
- RRP
- Roanoke Regional Partnership
- RVARC
- Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
- RVTV
- RVTV Channel 3
- SC
- Roanoke Valley Sister Cities
- UWVBR
- United Way of Virginia's Blue Ridge
- VBR
- Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge
Imagine what's possible
Priority 3: Reuse what's already here
Create an incentive structure for converting them
ED
CM, PB&D
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 2: The path from school to career
Create paid internships and apprenticeships in creative trades
ED
ACOs, CUs
Mid
Celebrate along the way
Priority 3: Showcasing our own
Create regular youth performance showcases in music, dance, and theater
RAC
ACOs, RCPS
Short
Imagine what's possible
Priority 2: Places to show work
Create standing exhibition and sales opportunities for local artists
RAC
DRI, LAs
Short
Make space for everyone
Priority 1: Cost is not the reason someone stays home
Deliver youth arts through libraries and community centers
RPL
ACOs, P&R
Short
Imagine what's possible
Priority 3: Reuse what's already here
Designate arts districts where artists and activity already cluster, including Old Southwest and the Grandin corridor
PB&D
ED, RAC
Mid
Imagine what's possible
Priority 2: Places to show work
Develop a multi-use arts center bringing several art forms under one roof
RAC
ED, PB&D
Long
Imagine what's possible
Priority 4: Art built into the city itself
Develop a public art trail along the greenway network
GC
RAC, RVARC
Mid
Celebrate along the way
Priority 2: A city with something on
Diversify the genres programmed in City-supported venues
ACOs
LAs, RAC
Short
Stewardship
Priority 2: Run it well
Diversify the membership of the Arts Commission and its advisory bodies
CC
RAC, RNA
Short
Nurture what's next
Priority 3: Working artists can make a living here
Diversify the styles of work commissioned, favoring artistic work over promotional imagery
RAC
ACC, LAs
Short
Imagine what's possible
Priority 2: Places to show work
Document the gap between Roanoke’s small venues and the Berglund Center, and publish what filling it would take
ED
RAC, VBR
Mid
Stewardship
Priority 1: Pay for it
Draft an ordinance requiring public art in private development, for Council’s consideration
PB&D
ED, RAC
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 3: Working artists can make a living here
Embed a paid artist in residence within a City department
ACC
CM, LAs
Mid
Imagine what's possible
Priority 1: Places to make work
Enable resident-led studios in affordable housing communities
PB&D
LAs, RNA
Long
Nurture what's next
Priority 1: Learning the craft, at every age
Ensure every student receives regular arts and music instruction
RCPS
CC, RAC
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 1: Learning the craft, at every age
Equalize arts funding and access across schools
RCPS
CC, CM
Mid
Stewardship
Priority 1: Pay for it
Establish a fundraising vehicle for the Arts Commission that does not compete with nonprofits
RAC
CM, FAs
Mid
Bring people together
Priority 1: One place to find out what's happening
Establish and maintain one public arts calendar, free to list on and free to use
ACC
ACOs, RAC
Short
Bring people together
Priority 3: The arts sector working as one
Establish formal partnerships between the Arts Commission and healthcare providers
RAC
CCS, CofC
Mid
Celebrate along the way
Priority 3: Showcasing our own
Establish seasonal youth art competitions with judged rounds across several disciplines
RAC
CHS, RCPS
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 1: Learning the craft, at every age
Expand adult arts classes beyond children’s programming
P&R
ACOs, RPL
Short
Celebrate along the way
Priority 2: A city with something on
Expand and better coordinate the First Friday art walk
DRI
ACC, LAs
Short
Imagine what's possible
Priority 4: Art built into the city itself
Expand the mural program across neighborhoods
RAC
ACC, RNA
Short
Bring people together
Priority 2: Institutions and neighborhoods in partnership
Explore a regional arts council with neighboring localities
RAC
ACOs, RVARC
Long
Nurture what's next
Priority 2: The path from school to career
Explore a regional Governor’s School for the arts with RCPS and neighboring divisions
CC, RCPS
CC, CUs
Long
Imagine what's possible
Priority 4: Art built into the city itself
Explore creating a dedicated art park
P&R
PB&D, RAC
Long
Make space for everyone
Priority 2: People know what's happening
Extend opening days and hours at City-supported venues to fit residents’ schedules
ACOs
ACC, RAC
Mid
Bring people together
Priority 2: Institutions and neighborhoods in partnership
Extend partnerships to early childhood programs and libraries
RCPS
ACOs, RPL
Mid
Make space for everyone
Priority 1: Cost is not the reason someone stays home
Extend programming into digital media, gaming, and forms young people already use
P&R
LAs, RCPS
Mid
Imagine what's possible
Priority 4: Art built into the city itself
Extend streetscape art along commercial corridors including Williamson Road
PB&D
DRI, RNA
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 3: Working artists can make a living here
Fund a wider range of art forms and genres
RAC
ACC, LAs
Short
Make space for everyone
Priority 1: Cost is not the reason someone stays home
Fund affordable hands-on classes for all ages, not only children
P&R
ACOs, LAs
Short
Celebrate along the way
Priority 1: Neighborhood events and festivals
Fund and coordinate festivals across the year rather than clustering them
ACC
ACOs, P&R
Short
Bring people together
Priority 2: Institutions and neighborhoods in partnership
Fund community organizers who work inside their own neighborhoods
RAC
PB&D, RNA
Mid
Make space for everyone
Priority 5: Art reaches where it hasn't
Fund community-specific work created by the residents of those neighborhoods
RAC
LAs, RNA
Mid
Make space for everyone
Priority 4: Everyone sees themselves
Fund culturally specific programming across Roanoke’s communities equitably
RAC
ACC, FAs
Short
Make space for everyone
Priority 1: Cost is not the reason someone stays home
Fund free and low-cost youth arts classes across income levels
P&R
CM, RAC
Short
Stewardship
Priority 2: Run it well
Fund routine maintenance of City-owned venues and public artworks
PW
CM, RAC
Mid
Nurture what's next
Priority 1: Learning the craft, at every age
Fund sustained programs rather than one-off residencies
RCPS
FAs, RAC
Mid