Art Scene "Burgeoning"
A recent column [Art in Paradise, Feb. 26, 2009] and a somewhat uninformed and dismissive letter to the editor may have left the casual reader with the sense that the Northampton Arts Council (NAC) and the local art scene in general are in a lull or have perhaps gone a bit flat.
Northampton has certainly gone through its share of cultural transformations over the years and some get nostalgic for a time when the local art "underground" was more visible and integrated. But nostalgia by definition includes only the best parts and lately we've been feeling an exciting groundswell in the current arts community. This is no accident. As schools cut arts programs and institutions prioritize the "essentials," we should remember that historically, even when people are focused on survival, on the bare necessities, art has thrived. It is a necessity itself. New organizations like the Commonwealth Center for Change (C3) and websites like http://www.valleyartshare.com are an indication that the scene is burgeoning anew.
Reviewing the wide variety of proposals we receive from Northampton artists and funding the best is the most gratifying part of our job. But we can only fund projects for which we receive grant proposals. So in an outreach effort, we're having an NAC public meet-and-greet on Wednesday, April 29th, from 6 to 8 p.m. at A.P.E., 126 Main St., Northampton. We'll present the work of a few artists we've funded as well as offering grant writing tips for aspiring recipients in time for the May 11th deadline for this spring's $15,000 grant round. We are also seeking new members and are eager to hear ideas from the public. We are heartened by the vitality of the Northampton arts community and will continue to do our part to support the arts, artists and artistic organizations.
Jim Neill, Chairman
Northampton Arts Council
Abolish Death Penalty
I wish to encourage all New Hampshire legislators and citizens to support Representative Steven Lindsey's bill to abolish the death penalty in our state. The only value of a death penalty is the fleeting feeling of revenge some may find when this barbaric punishment is meted out. On the other hand, it does not deter crime, costs millions of dollars to conduct, frequently executes the innocent, and lowers us all, as citizens of a state that kills its own, to the most primitive of moral levels. If nothing else, what are we teaching our kids? That it is OK to kill? Please support the abolition of the death penalty in New Hampshire.
Forrest Seymour
Keene
