Local Arts & Appalachian Culture

Local Arts & Appalachian Culture

Focus: Cultivating a vibrant arts and cultural environment that enhances Caldwell County's unique identity, boosts the local economy through tourism and creative enterprise, enriches education, and improves the overall quality of life for all citizens.

My Commitment as Your Commissioner:

Arts and culture are not just amenities; they are essential threads in the fabric of Caldwell County, reflecting our history, driving economic activity, and enriching our lives. From our renowned sculpture collections to our deep historical roots, we have unique assets to celebrate and leverage. As your County Commissioner, I will be a passionate advocate for our arts community and cultural heritage, working to ensure they thrive and benefit all residents. Here’s how I plan to be helpful:

1. Champion Local Artists, Organizations, and Heritage:
   
   

   • How I'll Help: I will strongly support our local creative talent and cultural institutions. This includes advocating for reliable county funding partnerships, potentially through the Caldwell Arts Council, to provide stability for arts programming. Critically, I will support efforts to preserve and interpret our rich local history, such as that found in the Patterson community. This includes backing initiatives by local historical groups and advocating for the protection of significant historical structures and documented archaeological resources, like potential Native American sites, through sensitive planning and partnerships with state preservation agencies.

2. Leverage Unique Assets for Cultural Tourism & Economic Growth:
   
   

   • How I'll Help: Caldwell County has distinct cultural assets that can drive tourism and economic benefits. I will actively work with our EDC, tourism partners, the Arts Council, and municipalities like Lenoir to capitalize on our reputation for public sculpture – potentially leveraging any national recognition (like the Smithsonian mention) – by supporting targeted marketing, events like the Sculpture Celebration, and visitor experiences. Furthermore, I will support integrating the promotion of historical sites, like those in Patterson, into our tourism strategy, creating heritage trails or experiences that attract visitors interested in our unique past. I will also champion programs that support our creative entrepreneurs.

3. Promote the Integration of Public Art:
   
   

   • How I'll Help: Art enhances public spaces and fosters civic pride. As Commissioner, I will encourage the inclusion of public art in county capital projects and support policies that facilitate the placement of art in parks, plazas, and community facilities throughout the county, working in collaboration with towns and the Arts Council.

4. Foster Arts Education and Community Partnerships:
   
   

   • How I'll Help: Connecting arts with education and business strengthens our whole community. I will use my role as Commissioner to actively encourage partnerships between arts organizations, Caldwell County Schools, and CCC&TI to enhance arts education opportunities for our youth and integrate creativity into workforce development. I will also foster collaborations between artists and local businesses for mutual benefit and community engagement.

5. Ensure Broad Accessibility to Arts and Culture:
   
   

   • How I'll Help: Arts experiences should be available to everyone. As Commissioner, I will advocate for distributing county arts support and encouraging programming in a way that reaches communities across all of Caldwell County. This means utilizing our libraries, community centers, and public gathering places in Lenoir, Hudson, Granite Falls, and our rural areas to host events and activities, ensuring geography is not a barrier to participation.

By actively supporting our artists, preserving our heritage, leveraging our unique cultural assets for economic benefit, and ensuring broad access, I believe that as your County Commissioner, I can help foster a culturally rich environment that makes Caldwell County an even more vibrant and attractive place to live, work, and visit.