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Introduction

The Nashua Arts Commission, formed
by City Ordinance 0-10-36 in
November 2010, is a volunteer
commission of the City of Nashua
appointed by the Mayor. Its mission is
to serve the community as Nashua’s
resource to facilitate, advocate,
coordinate and educate on behalf of
the art and cultural assets of the City
of Nashua.

The Arts Commission is classified as a
local arts agency by the National
Endowment for the Arts and the NH
State Councii on the Arts. As is the
nature of local arts agencies in the US,
public support for the arts is more than
the transactional function of grant-
making. Local arts agencies nave a
developmental role, provicing guidance
and advice, anc] to serve as guardians of
the public trust to procure and deliver
equity and excellence in managing the
City's arts and cultural resources. As an
agency of the City government, that
guardianship is charged with balancing
social accountability to demonstrate
civic and economic impact of allocating
tax dollars to fund arts and culture
projects.

Our Beliefs

Arts and culture is the
heart and soul of every
city; enhancing the
quality of life of all
citizens.

e The creative economy is a
community asset that
strengthens the local
economy and draws visitors
to Nashua

e Arts & Culture provides a
common language that
brings diverse populations
together

e¢ A vibrant arts community
requires collaboration
between artists, arts
organizations, municipal
government, and business
organizations with a strong
citizen volunteer base

¢ As a Welcoming City,
inclusion and access to arts
& culture should be available
to all

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Plan Background

Where Weve
Come From

As part of its mission, the Arts
Commission produced an initial
five-year Arts and Culture Plan that
was accepted by the Board of
Aldermen in November, 2014. This is
an update of that plan designed to
provide a framework for dev2loping
annual priorities, securing human
resources ana funding, and
developing annual work plans. Due
to an interruption in the riormat
cycle, this version is intended ta
caver 2022 through 2027.

The Arts Commission held an initial
input session for the revised plan in
2C19 with ine arts ccinmunity and
interested citizens, facilitated by
Ginnie lpi, the Director of the NH
State Council on the Arts in
additional to regular planning
sessions during late 2020 and 2021.
The Commission’s Arts and Culture
Plan workgroup worked to actively
align the Arts & Culture Plan with
imagine Nashua, a long-range
citywide strategic plan.

Where We're
Going

This new plan inciudes possibilities for
growth in the aris and culture sector
and addresses internal challenges to
achieve plan goals. This includes some
redefining of the role cf the Arts
Commission, developing policy that
fosters arts and culture aevelooment,
long-term financial commitment to
support the goals, and strategic inter-
departmenxal collaboration by the City.

We) WV aal=) alors) ats
believe ‘the arts &
culture are

Tea) eXelae-lalmxekeler-\ [ia
of life.”

Scurce: Americans for the Arts’ 2016 public opinion survey
by Ipos Public Affiars

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Vibrancy at Work

Nashua is HOME to...

¢ More public art that any other city in New Hampshire

¢ The only City with an International Sculpture Symposium in the United
States

* NH's only professional symphony orchestra and premier youth theater
company

¢ Art Walk, Southern New tiampshire’s largest arts festival

* The Winter Holiday Stroll, bringing 30,000 peoole to downtown Nashua
each year

For all these reasons and more, Nashua was selected by the New Hampshire
State Council on che Arts as the state’s Creative Community at the
Governor's Awards in 2617.

\\ The City is sioving ahead with the construction of a new
; 75C seat Performing Arts Center on Main Street, as well as
D ienovating our community arts facility at 14 Court Street
with improvements to the main theater, new artist studios
and reopening its small black box theater.

The Nashua Arts Commission will oversee Pla nn

the execution of this plan. Plan actions and

related recommendations are introduced Reference

by top goal and according to anticipated Timeframes

year of completion. The Arts Commission © Near-term: 2022-2024
reserves the right to extend timeframes to ° Mid-term: 2023-2025
best serve the project once in motion. * Long-term: 2025-2027

Our Vision

Nashua Is a creative city where the
arts energize life and enhance

experiences for residents and visitors

alike with ongoing Citywide supp ort.

Top Goals

Enhance Economic
Impact

Support arts related ideas,
projects and intrastructure
enhancements that prornote
positive, rneasurable econorr ic
growtn

Support Arts
Education
Cultivate artistic endeavors
through the development of arts

enrichment programs that foster
arts education for all ages

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2

4

Cultivate
Collaboration

Foster collaboration between
arts organizations, the public
sector, local businesses, and
civic organizations to work
together, share resources and
leverage opportunities to
enhance Nashua’s arts
community

Increase
Awareness

Expand the number of
residents and potential
visitors who know about,
appreciate, and participate
in Nashua’s lively art scene

Pm
i

Enhance
Economic Impact

Support arts related ideas, projects and infrastructure enhancements
that promote positive, measurable economic growth

Action 1:

Create a foundation
of reliable economic
data to use as an
evaluation tool for
new art projects and
investments

Recommendation A
Timeframe: Near-term

Present Americans for the Aris 2019 economic
impact stucly of the Nashua area as baseline for
measurement to arts organizations, Board of
Aldermen, City Department heads Downtown
Improvement Committee, Chamber of
Commerce, and other civic organizations

Recommendation B
Timeframe: Near-term

Sponsor and facilitate the 2022 and 2025
Americans for the Arts economic impact study
with funding and support from the Economic
Development department of the City.

A at-MaXe)a) o)aeliie-laccw-laleRoleli all g<M-y-Yon ce) a CW: ey | Rs;
million industry in the Nashua Region—one that
supports 361 full-time equivalent jobs and

generates $1.1 million in local and state
government revenue.

AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY 2019

Enhance
Economic Impact

Continued
Action 2: Recommendation A
Maintain Timeframe: Mid-term
affordable space Make necessary impiovements to Greeley Park
for Nashua’s Bandshell such as upgrading sound system, using
artists and arts local artists to beautify existing structure

organizations

Recommendatisn B
Timefrarne: Long-term

Complete iepairs anc renovations of 14 Court
Street

Recornmendation C
Timeframe: Long-term

Preserve the Keefe Center for the Arts for
continued access and use by Nashua’s nonprofit
arts organizations and as a venue for fundraising

Enhance
Economic Impact

Continued
; Recommendation A
Action 3: Timeframe: Near-term
Capitalize on Support successful completion and o;eration of
new and existing the Performing Arts Center and integration into
resources that the community.
facilitate

Recommendaticn B

audience
Timeframe: Near-term

development
Continue support of measurable audience

development of the arts organizations through
the Commission’s grant program.

Recommendaticn C Recommendation D
Timeframe: | Aid-term Timeframe: Mid-term

Adc listings of artists by category that Expand available funding for arts

sell their work er provide niivate projects and programs by increasing
performances to City’s arts grants, publishing a list of arts
ExperienceNasnuaArts.org. funding opportunities, and sharing any

funding opportunities on the Art's
Commission's Facebook page.

Recommendation E
Timeframe: Long-term

Investigate using Spectacle Live to book performances at Keefe and Holman
Stadium to share profits to fund the arts.

a, aid
hy
ay By

Cultivate _
Collaboration

Foster collaboration between arts organizations, the public sector, local
businesses, and civic organizations to work together, share resources
and leverage opportunities to enhance Nashua‘s arts community.

Action 4:

Track information on
projects, goals and
missions of Nashua
arts organizations
and establish 2
method of pooling
resources.

Recommendation A
Timeframe: Near-term

Continue ar.nual Collaborate Arts meeting with

botn nonprofit and for-crofit arts organizations
and individuals to produce annual arts calendar
and discuss missions 2iid goals.

Recommendation B
Timeframe: Near-term

Provide a city intern or AmeriCorp member to
facilitate inis initiative.

Recommendation C
Timeframe: Mid-term

Create an accessible public or on-demand listing
of resources that organizations are willing to
share including practice spaces and arts job
openings.

Cultivate _
Collaboration

. ; . Continued
Action 5: Recommendation A

Timeframe: Near-term

Annually recognize
collaborative work Create a “Nashua Arts Commission” membership

between arts program with benefits for participating organizations.
organizations and ;

supporting Recommendation B

businesses. Timeframe: Near-term

Recognize collaborative arts organizations and
businesses through the Arts Commission
Facebook nage and web site.

Recommendation C
Timefrarne: Mid-terra

Create window clings/signage for businesses that
support the arts through sponsorships, ticket
sales, donations, or in other ways.

Action 6: Recommendation A
Timeframe: Near-term
Create multiple

. Increase communication and involvement in the
strorig points of arts

arts with the Greater Nashua Chamber of
advocacy Commerce and other civic organizations

Recommendation B
Timeframe: Mid-term

Provide representation to the New Hampshire
Creative Communities Network and join Arts4NH;
cooperatively support their missions of arts
advocacy.

$2
|

support Arts
Education

Cultivate artistic endeavors through the development of arts
enrichment programs that foster arts education for all ages.

Action 7: Recommendation A

Timeframe: Near-term
Explore the

process and
funding measures
used to establish
arts-related
programs for
individuals and
organizations

Support arts festivals already in place by
expanding their range and reach

Recommendation B
Timeframe: Long-term

Establish accessible iow-cost classes,
mentorships. internships, and artists in resident
pregrams

Action ®: Recommendation A

Timetrame. Mid-term
Collaborates with
local arts

List and maintain all local and area arts
Sh. classes and arts summer camps on
organizations, ExperienceNashuaArts.org
schools, and
coileges to identify
opportunities for
artistic growth Create opportunities for adult
education

Recommendation B
Timeframe: Long-term

Recommendation C
Timeframe: Long-term

Inspire arts groups to create large scale
events by combining resources

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