Roswell Begins Major Cultural Planning Project

A California firm that specializes in helping local governments with arts and culture strategy has been hired by the City of Roswell to conduct what's being called the Culture and Arts Assessment and Plan. 

On Friday the city formally unveiled an outline of the plan, in conjunction with the Roswell Arts Commission. 

The Roswell Mayor and Council in November awarded an $80,000 contract to The Cultural Planning Group of Los Angeles. The firm has worked with more than 60 cities and counties on similar arts-related planning projects. 

The following is from a statement released by the city Friday afternoon:

"The primary focus of this plan is to build upon and leverage the strengths, assets, advantages and accomplishments already established in this culturally diverse region, and to fully integrate arts and culture planning into the current and future economic and community development of Roswell."

The cultural planning project is the latest in a series of moves that city officials and local arts advocates hope will spark a more involved effort to include all elements of the Roswell community in the arts. 

Last fall, the Roswell Cultural Arts Board, which had operated under the auspices of the city's parks, recreation and cultural affairs department, was spun off into the independent non-profit Roswell Arts Commission. 

The new group's objective is to spearhead strategic efforts, including seeking business and corporate sponsorship and have the local arts community become a key factor in economic and community development activities.

The Roswell Culture and Arts Assessment and Plan will include town hall meetings, in-person interviews, surveys and other communications to collect a wide variety of public input, with recommendations on how to strengthen the arts landscape over a 15-year period. 

A steering committee will be comprised of community and arts leaders, artists, arts educators and representatives from the Roswell Arts Commission.

The City of Roswell's project manager is G. Morgan Timmis, Historic and Cultural Affairs Manager.