How would you engage the creative community to drive economic development and build social capital in our neighborhoods and throughout the city?

I would continue to do what I have been doing for years. As a former art teacher in the Boston
schools, I know the value the arts have in education and the community at large. My husband and I enrolled our three children in the Arts Magnet Program in the Worcester Public Schools. I was part of the founding group for SOFA, and helped to raise tens of thousands of dollars, and continue to support the arts in our schools and our community. By supporting the arts and those who have vision, and listening to what they need, I am often in a position to have great relationships with folks who are passionate about what they do and what they see for the future of Worcester. Government should play a supportive role in the arts and be a partner. This can be accomplished by assisting with providing artist-friendly living environments, collaborative assistance in marketing the creative events and supporting them.

What revenue sources will you create or use to increase the city’s investment in the creative community?

We will need to identify new opportunities to create revenue streams to support our investment in the creative community. Perhaps we could add an arts fee to new building projects for public art. We need to find ways to encourage growth of wealth in our community to be able to support philanthropic giving, both financially and through deed. We need to embrace new methods of raising funds for arts and culture by utilizing things like crowdfunding, (i.e GoFundMe); we could establish an urban enhancement public trust fund; soliciting support from our residents and businesses.

What will you do to support arts education in the city’s schools and in our community?

I will continue to support arts education as I have for more than two decades in our schools. Without the arts, we are hollow, for art resides within, and it is in releasing it that we grow. We will need to identify new opportunities to create revenue streams to support our investment in the creative community. Perhaps we could add an arts fee to new building projects for public art. We need to find ways to encourage growth of wealth in our community to be able to see that type of giving, both financially and through deed. We could establish an urban enhancement public trust fund; soliciting support from our residents and businesses.

Worcester is fortunate to have leadership in its administration that supports public art throughout the city. Would you support a Percent for Art program for state and local development projects?

Absolutely.

How would you use the arts and culture community to build connections that maintain and support the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity that makes Worcester a truly creative city for all?

I have previously spoken of an international marketplace, which would be an incubator for small business and entrepreneurs who make culturally-diverse items and foods.

What will you do to provide more affordable housing and work spaces for artists?

There are a number of successful initiatives out there for artists live/work space. I would like to utilize a rent to own type of option which provides greater stability for neighborhoods.

The Worcester Cultural Coalition Needs Assessment demonstrates the current supply of space does not meet the demand of the arts community. What steps will you take to address this problem?

Looking at best practices: San Francisco established the Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST). The real estate development and holding company raises money to buy property, which it leases to nonprofit arts groups at below-market rates on a lease-to-own model (it also provides grants and technical assistance). So far, CAST has raised more than $20 million, has two tenants who have the option to purchase their properties in 2020, and is looking at expanding into Oakland.

What personal experience with arts, culture and creativity have your participated in over the last year?

Theatre, schools and Hanover, student art shows, community arts such as stART and Cirque. I love the arts in our community and regularly partake. I also paint and sketch myself.