hink about Salina. What makes it unique? What are its special features? How do you describe the community to a friend? During this next year the Arts and Humanities Commission plans to explore these questions deeply, in partnership with a broad variety of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions as the foundation for developing a community art and design plan. Growing from the Smoky Hill River Festival's twenty-fifth birthday in 2001, the initiative's vision is to capture the essence of the Festival - participation, process, accessibility, celebration, excellence - in a new project that has the power to profoundly change this community, just as the Festival has done over these last twenty-five years. As a catalyst in shaping Salina's sense of identity and place, the community art and design initiative clearly holds this potential. Realizing that Salina has its own unique community culture, the art and design plan will develop from this place, certainly drawing on other similar public art programs around the country but inspired by our own environment and aspirations. Fundamental elements of the initiative include: a demonstration project in celebration of the Festival’s 25th birthday that is characterized by broad-based community participation, in a space that is accessible and used by the community, and involves working side by side with local artists a new art and design policy that works hand in hand with the city’s capital improvement program, selecting various projects for up-front involvement of artists as an integral part of a project building partnerships of all sorts to actively encourage both private and public institutions and individuals to learn about and incorporate quality community art and design in their projects. How these fundamentals play out is up to you. Early in 2000 the Arts and Humanities Commission intends to expand the 25th initiative task force into a broadly representative steering committee. Are you interested? Do you have further questions or concerns? Call – talk to a Commissioner – watch for ways to become involved. Twenty-five years ago no one could have imagined the tremendous impact of the Festival. Yet with our energy and determination, quite possibly this same kind of amazed pride can be heard about the community art and design initiative twenty-five years from now. It’s a worthy legacy for the future that offers an exciting opportunity for all of us in defining and shaping Salina today. Martha Rhea, Executive Director

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For further information, contact: Salina Arts and Humanities Commission P.O. Box 2181 • Salina, KS 67402-2181 phone (785) 826-7410 • fax (785) 826-7444 e-mail: sahc@salina.org