by Kirby Lindsay, posted 20 June 2014
In late May a group of representatives from the Fremont Arts Council (FAC,) the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and some of Fremont’s larger employers – and soon-to-be – met to discuss saving the culture of Fremont.
“After 25 years, the Fremont Arts Council is coming to a fiscal crisis,” explained Jon Hegeman, one of the instigators of this meeting, “Band-Aids were proposed, but we really need a long-term solution.” Hegeman enlisted the help of consultant Linda Hanlon several months ago to start a discussion, and effort, to, “find out what value our arts can give to our tech community here. To bring the two sides together,” Hegeman said at an interview in early June.
Set A Precedent
According to Hegeman, businesses have moved here, “for a vibrant community. The Fremont Arts Council has been a creative magnet here,” producing iconic projects like the Solstice Parade and the Fremont Troll, but also with its influence on spin-off projects like Cirque de Flambé, the Fremont Players, Moisture Festival, and the Dino Topiaries. “The Fremont Arts Council is at the center of the community. It’s our engine,” he said, “and it is conceivable that they could dissolve. It’s a creative culture that is at stake.”
“Fremont has become a leader,” Hegeman observed, “we have a very important precedent to establish or maintain for others facing the same dilemma.” Hegeman sees this as not only a fight to find a funding and policy method that could preserve and expand the arts culture of Fremont, but also a mission to help other arts communities by creating a model others could follow. “This is larger than Fremont,” he said, “this is about sustaining creative communities everywhere!”
Save Art & Culture
At the center of Hegeman’s push to save art and culture in Fremont is a drive to see a permanent location established for the Fremont Arts Council – and other arts groups – in Fremont. “If you build it,” he said, “they will come. The magnetism will rebuild itself.” With a location that can be used for community events, meetings and workshops, Hegeman sees this organization flourishing – and taking steps towards a more established, professional approach.
“In all their years,” Hegeman observed about the FAC – which started in the 1970s – “they’ve never maintained a grant writer.” A permanent location, and a grant writer who would see to applications, maintenance, and renewal of grants for building up art in Fremont. “If we have the space,” he said, “we can make it happen.”
A Self-Sustaining Solution
“Let’s find a permanent solution,” Hegeman stated. He wants to see this campaign raise $200,000 a year for three years, to get the Arts Council self-sustaining. Area businesses already give, he pointed out, to the arts, the community and other charitable giving – and they could earmark that money to support and sustain the culture of Fremont that drew them here in the first place.
Already Google, which has offices in Fremont, has given $5,000 towards creating a green kids’ activity booth at the Fremont Arts Council Solstice Celebration at Gas Works Park. “It’s a beginning,” Hegeman observed, “there are quite a few ways to approach our business community here, but you can’t do it with volunteers.” Fundraising sources are out there – the City, and 4Culture – in addition to neighboring businesses, but finding them and doing the asks can be a full time job, Hegeman observed. He wants to raise the $200,000 to hire someone, and to lease a warehouse.
New Blood Needed
“I think that if we don’t find a long-time solution, the FAC and the Parade are in danger of melting away,” Hegeman said, “the creative force has been getting discouraged. We need new blood,” he observed, “We need to invite our neighbors into this.”
On May 22nd, the first of these invites led to a discussion among Arts Council, Chamber and business representatives from Brooks, Culture Foundry, and Impinj. The talk include some brainstorming about modular buildings and placing a facility on public land, but it also included talk about Fremont history by the people who have helped create our ‘brand’, and cultural identity. “This is a community that likes to say yes,” observed FAC Board Member, Solstice Parade co-founder and Troll wrangler Barbara Luecke.
“We have a great legacy,” observed Hegeman at the meeting, which took place in the newly restored Fremont Foundry, “and we want to take that forward. For our corporate neighbors, we are here to listen – what can we do to create value and invite you in?”
For those who want to help, look for future notices as Linda Hanlon, Community Creative Arts Consultant, organizes more public meetings. If you wish to contact her, e-mail lshanlon@yahoo.com. Also, look for Hegeman this summer at the Fremont Sunday Market and the Fremont Outdoor Movies.
Most especially, consider giving directly to the Fremont Arts Council website and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, and their efforts to support the future of art and our culture at the Center of the Universe.
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©2014 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.