El Dorado County wants to build arts community
By Carlos Alcalá, Sacramento Bee
Placerville won’t be Carmel-ized any time soon, but supporters are looking to turn El Dorado County into a region known as much for arts as for history and scenery.
In time, they hope, people will not only come to the area for special events, but will jump off Highway 50 because they know that art abounds in the region.
The El Dorado Arts Council this week rolled out the results of its first-ever Arts Census, a survey of scores of individual artists, arts businesses and businesses that may use arts incidentally.
Aiming to gauge the economic climate for the arts, the survey came up with results that surprised some people.
For example, they identified nearly 200 art-related businesses or individuals and found that the arts constitute one of just eight growth sectors in the El Dorado County economy.
“I hadn’t realized it was such a huge force in the area,” said Elke Schlosser, owner of Enchanted April, a bed-and-breakfast inn in Pilot Hill.
Interesting that they are talking about the “Arts” yet only visual art is mentioned, nothing on the performing arts (music, Theatre, Dance). Visual art is the most common, but I just find it funny when some people talk about the “Arts”, what they are thinking about is painting and sculpture.
Well, you would have LOTS of opportunity if you include South Lake Tahoe. We have a HUGE art community with arts of every kind! As Dave says, don’t forget the performing arts too.
I know that when on road trips, when we see a sign for a gallery of some kind, we often will turn off and take a break to see some art. I could see having a color/image, using the same types of signs to point out artistic points of interest along the way.
Great idea……