Manchester Arts Group to Launch in 2012

In 2012, Manchester will see the first inklings of the developing Manchester Arts Council.

Alderman Mike Clement, at the city council meeting on Monday night, outlined the progress of the group committed to bringing arts of all kinds to Manchester.

"This is a very talented, committed, passionate group of men and women who really want to see the arts grow in Manchester." he said.

It was just Clement and Bill Vivrett at first, but there were too many balls in the air and they needed help. They solicited names, and now have a group of about 25 mostly Manchester residents committed to the cause. They've met twice so far.

An interim leadership team of five will organize it: Bill Vivrett, Mike Clement, Helen Hume, Megan Huether and Sheila Ryerse. Among them, are the skills, talents and interests needed for the administration of an arts group, both musical and visual art. They also have key contacts with arts groups in the area.

Clement said they need to decide if the group will report to a city department or work independently, like the arts group in Chesterfield does; if they'll be a non-profit group (501c3), and they need to figure out how to write an arts plan.

"There's lots of stuff we don’t know," Clement said. But "we have the energy and the commitment to solve all these things."

One of the group leaders, Megan Huether, said they're looking at where the interest is, as far as music, live performance, or the dramatic arts, visual arts, photography competitions or public art.

"It shows what our community has to offer," she said. "In the first two meetings, it’s been incredibly impressive, the vast array of arts expertise we have in our community, to bring an increased arts profile to Manchester.

Clement said they plan on starting out with a low-cost or no-cost project.

Huether said it's inspiring to see the group get together, determined to do something special, to show how special Manchester is.

"I have an interest in community engagement, and this is community engagement at its best," she said.

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