Diverse Growth in Arts Programming

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The story below is from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

The Star City shines a light on diverse programming and outreach in the arts with a strong focus on community.

A creator being able to walk into a room full of people advocating for the Arts and Economic Development in Roanoke City is amazing. A June 2023 “Buzz for Good” watch party that focused on arts and economic development highlighted the marketing collateral and a brand-new anthem for the city, all promoting diversity. However, when the panel of decision-makers was shown on the screen, the lack of diversity was apparent. Can community engagement and outreach and related programs successfully grow if the leaders do not reflect the communities that they are attempting to engage?

Several years ago, there was no significant focus on diversity and culture in the city, even with the title “Sister City” and ties to different countries all over the world. Artist-In-Residence for Sister Cities Katherine Devine says that particular program is meant to show that a “people-to-people connection” can be made between different cultural backgrounds, no matter where you are from. On the other side of that same coin, Devine mentioned that we also have to heal our “personal circles before attempting to heal others.” 

The neighborhoods, or circles, in the City are noticeably siloed, with stigmas and stereotypes associated with each causing more of a divide. One of the first ways that the Roanoke Arts Commission (RAC) tried to heal this circle was with the Parks and Arts program. Started in 2012, the program was meant to “connect residents with art—without expecting them to leave their neighborhood or travel to a museum in a cultural district.”

According to Devine, sometimes “the best way in is a willingness to reach people where they are” and have events in those particular areas in an attempt to elevate. This is homework that has to be done in order to see true growth and change.

Genuineness in community outreach and discussions are necessary because the consensus within these same communities is that there is a lack of intentional programs that welcome diversity. In 2020, the nation was in the midst of the COVID pandemic and racial tensions were at an all-time high. This motivated RAC outreach efforts, which included local artists creating an “END RACISM NOW” mural located in front of the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building. Everyone loves murals and there are several of these “Instagrammable” gems around the city; however, sometimes painful realities can be brought to the forefront in art that is created. This is where so many conversations can begin surrounding the role of art in social activism.

The Year of the Artist (YOTA) by the RAC, launched in 2022 and for the first time in Roanoke, is a spotlight on art and community helping to break down siloes that exist across all demographics. We Are Art, the theme of the YOTA, embodies the soul and essence of not only the creatives, but every community that the art touches. One of the highlighted events of YOTA was the Daisy Art Parade held in April, an event showcasing art, artists, performing artists and tons of supporters. The Daisy Art Parade took place on UNESCO World Art Day, a symbolic date in that the day was created to encourage artistic expression and society to interact with one another.

Interaction is the hard part of outreach. The art community is extremely diverse but many of those who are People of Color and from the “underserved” communities that the outreach is often meant for, do not always feel the inclusivity. This was part of the motivation of Roanoke native Toya Jones, YOTA grant recipient, to hold the City’s first Back to Black Arts Show.

According to Jones, many of the art shows in locations do not spotlight the minority community, and she believes that the “Back to Black Arts Show” was able to do that. She is currently involved in several projects that are music and art-related, things that she has a passion for, and most of these programs have a strong focus on People of Color. Jones loves to travel and sees the arts spotlighted in cities such as Philadelphia, and wants to bring that same experience back home with her. In her opinion, Roanoke can get to that same level if “people have a reason to be proud, have something to believe in and have a focus on diversity.”

Many organizations, venues owners and decision-makers understand the need for more diverse programming. Not only to attract people to the city, but to encourage current residents to stay, grow and be proud.

Aaron Kelderhouse, Marketing Director for the Jefferson Center Foundation, says that the majority of funding from donations and sponsors is earmarked to cover expenses to help keep ticket prices low for many of the acts brought into the venue. By offering a discounted rate for partners such as the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO) and Roanoke Ballet Theater (RBT), to be able to have performances there is part of that same mission. He adds that the Jefferson Center tends to have the same “core group of supporters” and one of their goals is to be able to offer more diverse programming to bring in a broader audience; their 2023-24 season hosts a wide array of acts for ticketholders, including Patty Griffin, Nick Carter, Victor Wooten, Graham Nash, The Brandee Younger Trio, Jonathan Kreisberg, Lee Fields and many more.

The Jefferson Center also offers a wide range of programs for students, including Music Lab and Master Classes, and another program called “Outreach Outloud” that visits different locations once a week to teach music and also focus on teaching the kids about collaboration and communication. Kelderhouse says the educational programs do not turn potential students away due to finances; scholarships are available, they just have to ask.

“Public schools offer programs for free because Fine Arts is expensive and not attainable to a lot of families,” says Whitney Johnson, Supervisor of Fine Arts for Roanoke City Public Schools. Equipment rentals are free for music programs, numerous field trips are taken throughout the year and partnerships with organizations such as the RSO and the RBT encourage students’ participation. Johnson is enthusiastic about Fine Arts in Schools being a part of the strategic plan in Roanoke City. “This shows that the school board and superintendent believe it to be important… this type of programming is a feather in our caps.”

Bryan “Harvest Blaque” Hancock, a Roanoke native, is a musician, curator and supporter of spoken word and poetry, and Artist-In-Residence for Carilion’s Healing Arts program. The anthem for the City, named “It’s Here,” written and performed by Harvest Blaque and entrepreneur and musician J.P. Powell, was made for distribution to those considering making Roanoke their home. HancocFk also works with children through Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia, programming and adolescents through the Healing Arts program. He believes that if “there are areas that need mentorship, then that needs to happen... go to places of discomfort and provide comfort — it doesn’t only apply to the arts, it can be anything… people need to know that they are important.”

This is a major step to encourage growth. If people do not feel that they, and their voices, are important, then they have no desire to become involved. We can have all the initiatives and programs but if people aren’t involved, growth and inclusivity cannot happen. To be the catalyst for the change that we need, it has to be an all-in situation — ask the hard questions, go to a concert or an exhibit that you would not normally attend, support diversity in the open and not only behind closed doors and be receptive to change. Growth doesn’t happen in places of comfort — get uncomfortable.

The story above is from our September/October 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!