A Publication of the Region 2 Arts Council Vol. 4 No. 5 Oct/Nov '00

Creating a Vibrant Sense of Place

Become a Board Member for Region 2 Arts Council

Current vacancies for Clearwater,
Lake of the Woods, Hubbard & Beltrami Counties

Region 2 Arts Council has Board vacancies for one person each from Clearwater, Hubbard, Beltrami and Lake of the Woods counties. Terms are for 2 years.

What a board member does: Much of the Board’s activity revolves around reviewing and awarding arts grants. You’ll learn how good grants are written, and you’ll find out about the people that are making arts activities happen in this region. You’ll also work with a great group of people.

Funding: Our money comes from a Minnesota State Legislature appropriation. We also receive generous funding from the McKnight Foundation.

Meetings: are held in Bemidji seven times per year, on the third Monday evening of the month. Mileage is reimbursed.

If you are interested, contact Region 2 Arts Council office to receive a Board Application form.

Mary Lou Brandvik is a retired teacher and writer. She is chair of the Bemidji High School Art Committee and has written several books on teaching creative writing to high school students..

Guest Commentary
By Mary Lou Brandvik

"So many good things are happening in Bemidji and throughout the area." We hear this sort of comment often from community members and from visitors. Bemidji is a vital community that encourages thoughtful growth and insists on a place for visual art in its dreams for the future. We point with pride to the Bemidji Sculpture Walk; we anticipate the completion of the Historical Society building; and we admire and support the artists who live and work in our community and region.

Later this year, students will move into a new, 400,000 sq. ft. high school building located on 200 acres along the banks of the Mississippi River. This "first school on the Mississippi" will be a state-of-the-art, 21st Century educational structure intended to provide a rich learning environment for every student. Its completion will be the realization of the dreams and hard work of many people.

One unique feature of this new building is its incorporation of visual art. Following the passage of a building referendum in l997, the School Board established a Visual Art Committee to develop a public art plan that "will give the school a vibrant sense of place and that will contribute to its prestige and identity for students, faculty, staff, visitors and community members." This committee is comprised of teachers, students, professional artists, a school board member, alumni, community representatives and an architect.

Jack Becker of FORECAST Public Artworks said, "This is a special project. You are one of only a handful of schools in the country thinking this way . .Students learn better in an art enhanced environment."

The Committee's Master Plan reflects the district's philosophy and the design team's desire that the building have a student-centered setting, reflecting our environment,
rich history and cultures.

It sets criteria for acquisition of works of visual art which will

  • enhance the climate for artistic creativity in the school,
  • increase student and public access to works of art,
  • promote an understanding and awareness of the visual environment,
  • preserve and enhance the artistic heritage of the region
  • contribute to the civic pride of the community, and
  • enable District #31 to attain recognition as a leader in its commitment to the cultural life of its students and community.

The Visual Art Committee, in collaboration with architects and construction engineers, has identified over fifteen sites appropriate for outstanding visual art. The committee is seeking funding through grants, partnerships, and donations in order to acquire visual art of high quality and enduring value for the interior and exterior of the building.

For example, the Student Council is underwriting a portion of the design costs for special floor tile at the three major entrances of the building. Each 12’x20’ tile will be designed by Steve Sundahl, a BHS alumnus and Bemidji State University art instructor. And local artist Vivienne Morgan received a grant to partially fund a living garden sculpture on the grounds of the school.

While our present concern is visual art for the new high school, we hope to become leaders in the concept of public art in schools throughout the region. We believe as we plan for the future, and envision education for the 21st Century, that an art-enhanced environment can become a reality for all students.
Serving Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods & Mahnomen Counties of NorthCentral Minnesota

If you are interested in the rest of this issue, call us at 751-5447 or 1-800-275-5447 and we will be glad to send a copy to you.