March 05, 2006
A Cultural Czar for Grand Center
The following is a note from an "Art News" short by Diane Toroian Keaggy, from today's P-D:
Grand Center Inc. is conducting a national search for a cultural director to boost the district's artistic offerings. The position is a new one for the district, which has struggled to emerge as a must-visit destination.
The new director will start programs and festivals, create a pedestrian-friendly core for visitors and champion district events. The district hopes to hire the director by summer, though it has no firm deadline.
The position is based on one of many recommendations made by AEA Consulting, a New York firm hired to help move "Grand Center from being a place where cultural institutions are located to a true cultural district." The firm also suggested the district focus on initiatives to keep patrons in the area after events, attract a variety of patrons from college students to young families, connect Grand Center to nearby districts and give the street a livelier feel.
Curious if people think the District will actually hire from outside the area? Or will GC hire one of the 10 people we could probably list here in about three minutes?
Then again, maybe that's not the most interesting set of questions around this. The thought that these types of events and amenities are needed along the GC corridor... well, how much AEA was paid to come up with this patently obvious suggestion? And could those same monies have simply been invested in local organizations that have a track record of making things happen?
And, while we're at it, why did I wake up in such a foul mood on a Sunday morning? Boy, oh, boy, why people read the paper first-thing is beyond me. Lesson learned.
"Or will GC hire one of the 10 people we could probably list here in about three minutes?"
OK. I'll play. To my knowledge, none of these people is looking for another job.
Bob Rocca, City Museum
Rudy Nickens, Black Rep
Laura Winter, Coalition for Lifesaving Cures
Steven Smith, The Royale
Rachelle L'Ecuyer, City of Maplewood
Missy Slay, Fair St. Louis
Jessica Carten, St. Louis Magazine
Melanie Adams, History Museum
Rita Kirkland, St. Louis Public Library
Shuntae Ryan, Downtown St. Louis Partnership
Good list! A couple that would've been on mine and a couple a new ones to me. I love it.
Posted by thomas on Sun., Mar 5, 2006 at 1:52 PMThomas Crone?
Posted by Michael Allen on Mon., Mar 6, 2006 at 10:00 AM"And could those same monies have simply been invested in local organizations that have a track record of making things happen? "
NO KIDDIN'.
Personally, I think Grand Center should also look into hiring someone to help them develop offerings beyond traditionally defined cultural venues. Part of what makes a successful cultural district is having stuff besides Culture(tm) for people to do.
When I think back to some of the most interesting evenings I've had seeing a play or concert, or hitting museums and galleries, most of the really satisfying ones were nice because we didn't just see a play, but we saw a play and then walked to a Greek diner a block away and had a long conversation about it over coffee, before taking a nice stroll around a pedestrian friendly neighborhood.
Last time we went to Grand Center, we enjoyed seeing the shows at the Contemporary and always wonderful MoCRA, but then we left the area because there wasn't much of anything in the way of good, cheap eats open at that hour within walking distance. It was only 8PM on a Friday night! We also debated walking around just to take a stroll, but since almost all of Midtown's wonderful Victorian homes have been demolished over the years (not museumy enough?!?), and many sidewalks around the area are uncomfortably narrow, it seemed like the walk would be more sad than anything else. Walking through the industrial areas just north of Chouteau would have probably offered us about the same quality of experience, in terms of dining and walkability options (It, too, is an unnecessarily giant mono use wasteland.).
Yes to more culture, but let's try to at least pretend we care about making Midtown resemble a functional, multi-use neighborhood, please.
Posted by Claire Nowak-Boyd on Mon., Mar 6, 2006 at 2:40 PMMichael R. Allen, you're being impish!
Posted by thomas on Mon., Mar 6, 2006 at 3:08 PM