Elbert Hubbard

“Midway has a lot of arts-related businesses. We want to build Midway’s reputation as a community friendly to the arts.”
- Ouita Michel, owner of Midway’s famous Holly Hill Inn.

Help Shape the Future of the Arts in Midway

More than 30 citizens of Midway gathered at Midway Christian Church the evening of April 25th for the first Public Forum on a proposed Midway Arts Center to provide opportunities for Midway citizens and our visitors to value and participate in the arts. A community arts organization may provide classes in art and craft, theatrical performances, literary arts, exhibitions, musical performances, public art projects and more! Nearly every attendee indicated a willingness to volunteer in some capacity.

Below is a report of the proceedings, and the Public Forum continues here online.

Public Forum Report

Sheila Redmond, representing the forum organizers, informed those assembled that she and others had held several meetings over the past few months to discuss the feasibility of forming a community arts organization. The group has received a grant from Arts Kentucky to obtain the services of a consultant in strategic planning. Kathy Werking, owner of SoapWerks, has generously donated several months rent on office and classroom space in her gallery on Main Street (including a fenced garden for receptions), acquired the organization’s first computer, and is receiving some donated office furniture.

Marcie Christensen, Artists Liaison for Francisco’s Farm Invitational Fine Art and Craft Show 2006, related a brief history and discussed future development of the show.  Originally conceived by a committee of Midway Renaissance, the show became a partnership project between Midway Renaissance, the City of Midway, and Midway College. In future, the show could become a project of the Midway Arts Center, enhancing the Arts Center’s ability to attract funding from the Kentucky Arts Council (applicable KAC grant programs include Community Arts Development, Arts Build Communities, Performing Arts on Tour, Challenge Grants, and General Operating Support Grants), as well as other grant-making entities in the arts.

Facilitators Kathy Werking and Marcie Christensen then presented the group with the task of visioning a future for the new community arts organization. Citizens offered suggestions for desired programming in the arts – Classes for Children and Adults, Music, Theatre, Gallery, Studio Space, and Public Art.

The attendees gathered in small groups to brainstorm each topic, then presented their ideas to the assembly.

Children’s Classes – Nancy Jones reported on her group’s suggestions for offering education in the arts to preschool, early primary, and intermediate grades.

• Incorporating multiple art forms, children could be guided in the creation of a production, possibly exploring other cultures. Creating a mural, learning music (possibly drumming), writing theatre scripts, and creating masks or puppets, the educational aspect could culminate in a public performance.
• A seasonal Open Studio could be offered.  Guided by volunteers, the children could choose to work in paint, paper-cutting, clay, or seed art to create artwork appropriate to the season for display in a gallery and to take home. Gingerbread houses in winter, flowerpots or wind-socks in spring, birdhouses in summer.

Adult Classes – Sheila Redmond reported on her group’s suggestions for adult education in the arts.

• Accomplished local and visiting artists could offer classes in painting (watercolor, oils, faux finishes, murals), pottery, lapidary, silver-smithing, folk art, glass-blowing, basket-weaving, yarn-spinning, quilting.
• Offerings could include the literary arts (creative writing classes or seminars), photography and graphic arts, screen-printing.

Music – Joyce Evans reported her group’s suggestions.

• Beginning guitar classes for children and adults
• A songwriter’s showcase, using several venues and one featured song-writer along with several local writers. The song-writers could attend educational sessions on writing, marketing, and sales, then offer public performances on Friday and Saturday evening. Tickets could be sold for all performances or for individual performances.
• The Arts Center should promote local music venues, and local musicians.
• The Center should explore ways to enhance music offerings in the school.

Theatre – Diana Queen and Herman Farrell reported their group’s suggestions.

• The Center could partner with the College to offer Summer Stock Theatre in the amphitheatre.
• Children’s Theatre projects.
• The center could partner with the College to offer a Historical Pageant involving the entire community. (The last Midway Pageant was held at the College in the 1930’s, and the original script is available.)
• The Center could sponsor literary events – story-telling performances
• An annual Theatre Conference could be established (Mid-Career Theatre Artists in Midway), offering developmental and performance opportunities to theatre artists from the region and beyond.

Gallery – Mary Thoreson presented her group’s suggestions.

• Rather than offering a competing retail gallery, the Center should provide an independent community space to exhibit the work of local and guest artists.
• An annual art sale could provide revenue and showcase the talents of local artists.
• A working studio could be an educational offering and an attraction for visitors.
• A community space where people could work on art projects.

Studio Space – Eric Thoreson reported his group’s suggestions.

• Studio spaces could be leased to artists on a long-term or short-term basis.
• Established artists could provide mentoring for emerging artists in a classroom space.
• Cooperative ventures could be established to allow artists in various media to share equipment and space – pottery, painting, wood, glass, welding

Public Art – No group formed to brainstorm this topic. However, suggestions from several groups incorporated ideas involving community art projects, including the Historical Pageant, group projects in the Gallery, and a children’s multi-disciplinary production. Kathy Werking had an idea for a creative public art project - a variation of some cities' 'ride-a-bike' program, where used bikes are donated to the city and left out for anyone to ride. Kathy's version is the ‘Articycle Project’ – people donate used bicycles, which are then decorated by artists. The art bicycles are then made available to anyone who would like to ride them around town. Kathy also reported there has been a grant request submitted to support the creation of a tile mosaic installation on Main Street.

The forum closed with thanks to all those attending, and an invitation to spread the word.

How YOU can become involved:

• Offer your comments, suggestions, and questions to midwayarts@franciscosfarm.org
• Send us your email address and you will be notified of new information posted on this page.
• Consider serving as a member of the Midway Arts Center Advisory Committee.
• Donate a bicycle for the 'ArtiCycle' Project.
• Donate office and classroom supplies and/or equipment.
• Contribute plantings for the Arts Center Garden
• Donate your time and talents to help spruce up the Midway Arts Center's first home.