Opinion: Consider the arts when voting
By Robert Schimmel
I’ll bet you’ve heard how you must vote and why, right? Well, I hope you listened, because when you vote it really makes a difference.
I’d like to offer you another criteria to consider: the arts and what they mean to our community as a point of pride, a vehicle for healing, a source of inspiration and creative development, the nurturing agent for educational abilities and success, a real engine for our economy and growth, and an identity that will bring recognition and pride like no other. And what does this have to do with voting? Everything.
Robert Schimmel
Who are the candidates that support art as part of our curriculum and will fight for it? Oh, by the way, art is a legally mandated part of our schools’ studies but has been cleverly left out for budgetary reasons for many years by the powers that be. The sad part is that it is a primary stimulant to all learning processes, and our kids aren’t benefiting from its influence on their performance in other subjects.
Who recognizes that the arts as an economic engine have no equal for what they generate in employment, contribute to projects, bring to festivals, galleries, stage shows, etc., attract and turn into heads in beds dollars we desperately need? The point here is that most artists and art related businesses can only thrive and fuel our economy if the governing bodies regulating business have freedom and success of private enterprise at the core of their beliefs. This has been steadily eroding here and even more so nationally.
Do you know candidates who will be proactive and support the arts at the city, school, community and business levels? Or do you fall prey to the lip service with no teeth that is so easy when they are not held accountable or even understand what’s at stake?
Don’t misunderstand me, I am not scolding you (as promises and truth are hard to discern and make stick), but I am encouraging you to take another criteria with you into the booth that may make voting easier. After all, we live and thrive on art every day and have become oblivious to it and its benefits. The new creative economy we have entered is fairly obvious but has crept up via the Information Age and been camouflaged in the process to the extent that we haven’t adapted or understood what’s happened.
Bottom line is that I want (and will assume you do) Tahoe to prosper and grow. This doesn’t have to be ugly with thoughtless, carpet-bagging policies, favoritism and environmental devastation. Instead it can be accomplished by opening the gates to creativity by including more arts integration in every city project and arts education funding of organizations that provide it (including our schools), by passing new or supporting existing legislation that empowers and permits artists to do more in public venues, etc., and by actually promoting Tahoe as an arts destination.
Novel idea, right, especially when most of us are here because of just that, whether we knew it at the time or not. Yes, the appeal of all our seasonal recreational activities is largely based on the aesthetic of beauty before, during and after we’ve caressed each experience, don’t you think?
Be sure to vote, and, if uncertain as to why or for whom, then make the arts a priority.
Robert Schimmel is a professional artist in South Lake Tahoe.
I am quite proud of my wife, Penny, who has been heavily involved with the BATS program (Bring Arts to the Schools) for years.
I agree Mr. Fleisher. Penny and all the other VOLUNTEERS are the only reason we have art in our elementary schools. Primary elements such as art and safety should be a regular part of every child’s school experience. The dedicated volunteers of BATS are very special individuals and should be recognized by our community.
All the bond money that we have voted for LTUSD and it built a performing arts center at the H.S. and volunteers are the only reason that arts are in the schools? The fox is definetly the one guarding that hen house! Thank you volunteers —and those in administrtion need to be removed.
Why oh why are proponents of our various issues so over the top with nonsensical and baseless arguments. Such as, Mr. Schimmel, “arts as an economic engine have no equal” is pure poppycock. It is wonderful to have passions in life, but please, leave room to breath. This blue plate special of unequaled benefits to society doesn’t exist anywhere except in someone’s imagination.
One of the reasons politics is becoming nastier and nastier is the out of control hyperboles such as Mr. Schimmel’s above.
Let’s all slow down and take a deep breath and try to rein in the prevailing climate of extremism.
“littleone” brings up point that has merit, BUT there are a lot of positive details to the how and why of TADA; let’s hope they become more visible soon. The big kudos definitely need to go to our amazing community volunteer base (such as Penny up above), and I hope no one misread my urge to vote to be dismissive of their overall importance. Many don’t know or understand the facts around what the Arts and their significance to growth mean (economically and culturally which incl education), so we can only hope Tahoe begins to finally put forward its natural aesthetic appeal in this regard and take advantage of an “industry” that is a gift. Until a community embraces a strength, as Tahoe has w recreation, it will remain an anomaly.
Do not forget our Children’s Memorial Tree completely redone by the same artist who did our Welcome To South Lake Tahoe sign by the airport. Our community tree is the only one of it’s kind in the world and should be respected as Art.
Absolutely, Kenny… Dan Jones (and you + others!) did a remarkable job, and I hope people visit this outstanding memorial in SLT on Hwy 50 (google it) or at least listen to my program w Dan on the Lake Tahoe Art Scene. This is just one of hundreds of ways the Arts contribute to our enjoyment, memories and future EVERY day.