This day long, informational symposium will feature keynote addresses from nationally known experts on the topics of the economic advantages of historic preservation and community development as well as regional success stories.

Keynote speakers include, Donovan Rypkema, Principal for Place Economics in Washington D.C., http://www.placeecnomics.com/ who will discuss and give examples of the economic benefits of historic preservation projects.

Robert McBride, Director, Rockingham Arts & Museum Project http://www.ramp-vt.org/, will give examples of jump starting the rural economy of Bellows Falls, Vermont (pop 3,600) by effectively integrating the arts and how these strategies can be effectively applied in your community.

Lori Meadows, Executive Director of the Kentucky Arts Council http://artscouncil.ky.gov/ , will speak at lunch on the community development tools available from that agency. Regional case studies including land preservation in Perryville, retail recruitment in Hodgenville, small business development in Washington County and successful economic development projects in Danville. Participants will also have the opportunity to tour the Danville examples http://www.downtowndanville.com/.

The Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitor's Bureau and McDowell House Museum will host a reception at the museum, where participants can view current renovation work and network with others. Also take advantage of the Rousseau Civil War Lecture Series at 6:30 p.m. at the Boyle County Public Library, and the presentation of Chris Kolakowski - "Saved or Paved: the Fight to Save Civil War Battlefields" sponsored by PBPA with financial support from the Kentucky Preservation Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Registration is $30 and includes lunch. Seating is limited, so please plan to register no later than March 7 by sending the attached registration materials and check payable to Preservation Kentucky, PO Box 262, Hodgenville, KY 42748. Registration Materials will also be available online at http://www.preservationkentucky.org/. For more information or to have a registration packet mailed to you, please call (270) 358-9069.

The Rural Heritage Development Initiative is a three-year demonstration program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in collaboration with Preservation Kentucky and the Kentucky Heritage Council, to help develop and implement preservation-based economic development strategies in the eight county Central Kentucky area of Boyle, Green, LaRue, Marion, Mercer, Nelson, Taylor and Washington. The initiative is funded largely through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For more information please visit www.preservationkentucky.org or call (270) 358-9069.

Words & Images represents a collaboration between writers and artists that includes poems, excerpts from short stories, and a children's book, along with paintings, photographs, and ceramics. This exhibit represents a four-month process in which artists and writers met, paired up, and created unique works together. Several of the participants are member-artists from WAG, with many of the other artists and all of the writers being guests invited from the community. Some of the pairs were already acquainted, whereas others met for the first time in February 2007.

When poet Lynn Martin learned of this exhibit, she contacted friend and photographer Cindy Hutcheson. Formerly at the AIDS Project of Southern VT, both had the intention of finding something that their clients had had in common besides their illness, and discovered that it was their pets. Hutcheson's intimate photographs of individuals holding their pets paired with Martin's poetry, moving the reader to tears, forms the poignant piece entitled "Comfort."

The cooperative endeavor of writer Arlene Distler (with her poem "Skating on the West River") and artist Carolyn DiNicola-Fawley (with her painting "Writing on the Ice") resulted from "bouncing ideas off one another, and finding solutions that used available materials and was conceptually exciting" to the both of them.

Two collaborators, who didn't know each other prior to the initial meeting, were writer Tom Bitters and artist Matthew Peake. Bitters' interest in the challenges of male-female relationships combined with Peake's idea to portray the relationship in the form of a mobile of two dancers, yielded a most "inventive, amusing, acidic" piece.

In addition to the third Friday Gallery Walk on July 20, where many of the artists and writers will attend, there will be a panel discussion held on Thursday, July 26 from 7:00 to 8:00 at the Gallery. The panelists (poet Audrey J. Boerum, writer Beth Stickney, artist Julia Zanes, and gallery owner Peter Jeziorski) will discuss the role of collaboration in artistic expression, offer a critique of the exhibit, and be available for general discussion afterward, along with some of the exhibit's artists and writers. As this is open to the entire community, everyone is encouraged to attend.

Featured pairs of writers and artists include Andrews/Copans, Cummings/Copans, Riddle/Copans, Bitters/Peake, Distler/DiNicola-Fawley, Edwards/Schreiner, Mandell/Allen, Martin/Hutcheson, Mathias/Wakefield, Melton/Ragouzeos, Pienkawa/Nelson, and Wilfong/Taylor.( Because of space limitations, regretfully, pieces by Rolf Parker-Houghton/Jason Alden and Reeve Gutsell/Copans could not be accommodated).

The exhibit will be on display from Thursday, July 5 through Thursday, August 2, 2007, with a reception on Friday, July 20, from 5-7:30PM during Gallery Walk. The Exner Block Gallery hours will be Monday through Thursday, 10:00AM-2:00PM, or by appointment by calling Matt Peake at 869-2989.

The 6th Annual Art Raffle hosted by the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) will be held on Sunday July 29th at 4:00 PM in Boccelli's restaurant on 46 Canal Street in Bellows Falls, VT. The Raffle offers an opportunity to win original artwork, eat a great meal, have fun and support RAMP.

Artists that have donated works include Charlie Hunter, Julia Zanes, Donald Saaf, Audrey Boerum, Nan Durling, Francoise van Dwingelo, Sally Elliott, Diedre Fuchs, Coleen Grout, Marlene Kramer, Joy Mitchell, Helen Petkas, Anne Y, Myra Ashcroft, Bob Cantius, Mary Massucco, Linda Striecke, Robert Huntoon, Robert McBride, Pat Avila, Richard Gombar and Becky Graver. A $25.00 ticket can lead to winning one of approximately 80 pieces of art valued in the hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Images of the donated works will be posted on the RAMP website in July.

View the art work...

The purpose of the event is to follow up on our conversations initiated at the first meeting held in February which included the "State of the Arts" in the community and to mobilize people interested in participating in upcoming arts opportunities such as affordable housing and work space, sharing ideas on exhibitions, the Vermont Crafts Council Open Studio Weekend, Arts Advocacy Day in Montpelier, April 16

McBride goes on to highlight upcoming arts events in the region that give participating artists greater exposure and highlight the great examples of the arts as a vital economic force. "The Vermont Crafts Council Open Studio Weekend, held each year on Memorial Day weekend is a great opportunity for artists to gain access to potential customers, and it also serves as a terrific vehicle for economic development: people come to our town to see art, and in the process have an opportunity to shop locally, dine locally and experience the great atmosphere of a revitalized Vermont downtown. We're looking forward to a greatly expanded presence at this annual event by local artists, and are prepared to organize support and assistance to artists who wish to participate."

McBride expects that the Artists Town Meeting will also contribute to another of RAMP's many goals; that of building a constituency of local artists whose impact can be felt in the political and economic life of the region. "When people who share a commitment to the arts come together and speak with a unified voice, it can have a powerful impact. One of RAMP's visions is to see artists and arts supporters fully integrated into the civic fabric of our community, weighing in on local issues, and contributing a valuable perspective to local dialogue."

McBride says that RAMP is committed to hosting four Artists Town meetings throughout the year and the agendas will be largely shaped and developed by the input gathered at each of the forums. Interested participants are asked to RSVP by e-mailing: ramp@sover.net with "Artists Town Meeting RSVP" in the subject line, or by calling 802-463-3252.

On Sunday, April 13, 4:30-7:00 P.M. The Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) is hosting its "almost end of winter" party. This provides a great opportunity to meet other interesting people in our community that value the arts.

The 2nd Annual Apartment Raffle drawing will take place that evening at 6:30 P.M. So please come, eat good food and meet great people.

The party is being held at the Exner Block, 9 Canal Street in downtown Bellows Falls.

We hope to see you there. Please RSVP via email: ramp@sover.net and enter in subject line: RAMP Party or give us a call at 802-463-3252.

The more the merrier,
Robert McBride,
Driector

Download Ramp Raffle Poster (PDF)

Please join us at Arts Achivement Day on April 16 at the Vermont State House in Montpelier at a day long event to celebrate the arts in Vermont.

This is one of the best opportunities for individuals, artists, arts organizations and community groups to meet with legislators to let them know how the arts affect you and your community. The day's events will include an orientation to provide you with tips for effectively communicating with legislators, an awards ceremony presenting Cultural Facilities grantees, a public strategic planning forum, and a Palettes of Vermont final exhibit.

The event is open to the public and we hope you'll attend!