RUMFORD – Organizers hope to channel some of the energy generated at an arts forum last month with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 12.

The forum, sponsored by the River Valley Arts Initiative project, drew nearly 100 artists, craftspeople and people interested in the arts to gauge the interest and importance of culture and the arts in the area.

Thursday’s meeting is meant to follow up on some of the ideas expressed and to organize committees that will get to work on a variety of projects. Some of these include trying to locate an artist/exhibit space and an artist work space and perhaps establish an artists’ co-op, and organizing an after-school youth art program. Other ideas expressed at the forum included organizing a traveling art show that could be put on display during intermissions at musical performances or taken to local businesses such as Hannaford and the Black Mountain Ski Area.

Other ideas are welcome.

The arts initiative, coordinated by Becky Welsh, is funded by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission. Eventually, a directory of artists and craftspeople from the River Valley will be published and distributed, similar to other arts projects throughout the state.

In the meantime, Welsh and several volunteers are conducting a survey of artists, writers, craftspeople and other creative people in the River Valley. Deadline for submitting these surveys is June 16. Welsh will then continue the study through compiling data and making follow-up telephone calls.

Surveys can be picked up and dropped off at the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition office located at the River Valley Business Resource Center. The RVHCC is the umbrella organization for the arts initiative.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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