The DeKalb Council for the Arts hosted a community meeting on July 7 at the Reid H. Cofer Library in Tucker intended to gather feedback on the development of the county’s forthcoming cultural arts plan.
Stephanie Raines, the Director for Arts and Cultural Affairs for DeKalb County, led the meeting, which drew in around 30 attendees, many of whom were artists and arts leaders.
Attendees were asked about the current state of the arts in DeKalb and the community’s desires for the future. A major theme of responses was accessibility, with discussions about the importance of disability-inclusive and intergenerational arts spaces.
Attendees also shared insights into the challenges inhibiting arts access, which included funding, transportation, and effective communication.
Tuesday’s meeting was the first of three similar feedback events scheduled throughout July. The next meeting will be held at the Reid H. Cofer Library on July 14, and feedback will conclude on July 21 at the William C. Brown Library in Decatur. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m.
This community feedback initiative is an effort by the newly reestablished DeKalb Arts Council, which launched in March, to establish a cultural arts plan for the county. This comprehensive plan will inform DeKalb’s arts development over the next several years.
The feedback gathered will inform the project proposal to be drawn up in August by the council and presented to vendors specializing in the development of cultural arts plans. The selected firm is expected to be announced in November, with project updates to follow.
