3 Fairfield fans attend Iowa Arts Summit

Three Fairfield Cultural Alliance members attended the Iowa Arts Council?s 2016 Iowa Arts Summit Friday in Des Moines.

?Studies show that communities who support opportunities for creative expression not only have a better quality of life, but, in the long run, increased stability. The members of the Fairfield Cultural Alliance have long held this point of view, so it was fulfilling for us to get together with like minds from around the state and the country to get further educated and inspired. There were some stellar presentations,? said Denyce Rusch, a Fairfield Cultural Alliance member.

Rusch and Fairfield Cultural Alliance board members, Paul Squillo and Bob Shrem, drove to Des Moines for the Iowa Arts Council?s 2016 Iowa Arts Summit. It was a gathering of community leaders, artists, art entrepreneurs and educators who came together to attend presentations and network with each other.

They filled their day with three sessions, each on topics, which included ?Sustaining Artist Networks,? ?Public Art in Your Community,? ?Hollywood Backstories with Andrew Steele, creative director for Funny or Die,? ?Tools for Art Business Management,? ?Creative Placemaking,? and ?Flashes of Iowa Innovation.?

ArtPlace America presenters suggested that communities ?place arts and culture as a core sector of comprehensive community planning and development so as to help strengthen the social, physical, and economic fabric of communities.?

Along with the scheduled information sessions, attendees were treated to a rockin? musical performance from the cast of ?Rock of Ages? by the Des Moines Community Playhouse and a dramatic piece by Akwi Nji, award-winning Cedar Rapids poet and performance artist.

The Fairfield Cultural Alliance has been on a mission to support and nourish arts and culture in Fairfield since its inception in 2005, with the creation of its Cultural District. The group presently gives yearly Cultural Achievement Awards and mini-grants for deserving projects. They also put on an Annual Networking Gala, and publish the ?Fairfield Cultural District Heritage Tour? book.

?Fairfield has a well deserved reputation in our state for supporting cultural activities, and a number of others were keen to hear what was going on in our town,? said Rusch. ?All in all, the Iowa Arts Summit was a really worthwhile experience. All of us agreed that we were bringing back valuable information and ideas. We look forward to implementing these on our quest to support the continued growth of Fairfield?s lively creative scene.?