Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council

Cape Blanco Lighthouse
Mission Statement, Goals, Strategies and Benchmarks - February, 2004
*Revised September 21, 2007

Respectively submitted by the members of the
Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council

Present Members: Chair - Lucie La Bonte, Vice Chair - PJ Estlund,
Secretury - Pete Chasar, Treasurer - John Lincoln, Sally Brock,
Violet Burton, Gary DeRoest, Robert Nesbitt

Special Thanks to past members who contributed: Ruth Kratochvil,
Barbara Breuer, Jim Marino, Hugh McKay, and Tere Tronson


Curry County Cultural Arts Plan Introduction

This document along with a "Cultural Inventory List "has taken many months with much hard work to accomplish. The Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council held three public meetings for public input on the draft plan; one in Brookings, one in Gold Beach and one in Port Orford and incorporated comments into the plan. We also presented copies of the plan to the Curry County Board of Commissioners at their February 17, 2004 regular board meeting that was televised throughout Curry County.

The group began by doing a Cultural Inventory. This is a large document and can be obtained by contacting the Curry County Commissioners. It is a living inventory of all of the groups involved in cultural arts in Curry County. Once the Inventory was completed, the group began drafting a mission statement, goals, and strategies (objectives). After public review the group then drafted benchmarks.

Organizational Structure - Curry Cultural Trust Coalition

The Planning Committee is recommending the following organizational structure as requested by the Oregon Cultural Trust. We recognize that the plan is flexible and the new Curry Cultural Trust Coalition may want to adjust the structure as they work if problems arise from this recommendation.

Curry County is 90 miles long and has 3 large population centers and several small rural communities. Most councils, committees and commissions have north, central and south county representation on them to maintain countywide participation. We recommend that this template be used. It is also important to have history, arts, music, libraries, humanities and dramatic interests represented. The Planning Council did advertise looking for those interested in sitting on the Coalition. The following people volunteered to form the first Curry Cultural Trust Coalition: Vi Burton (Arts - Brookings), PJ Estlund (history - Gold Beach), Pete Chasar (Arts - Brookings), Susan Lincoln (Arts - Port Orford), Gil Chavez (Library - Gold Beach), Amy Keusink (Music - Wedderburn), Tony Kalhagen (Music - Ophir), Katrina Starr - Gold Beach (At large), Gloria Sevey (Employment Department) - Gold Beach, Robert Nesbitt - Brookings, Lucie La Bonte - Curry County (Music). Therefore the Planning Council recommends the following positions be established: 3 Arts Positions, 3 Music Positions, 3 History positions (1 representing historical society or museum, 1 representing libraries, 1 humanities), 1 Dramatic Arts Position, 1 At large. These should be 2 year terms and the positions should have a good representation from all parts of the county.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Curry Cultural Trust Coalition

The role of the Curry Cultural Trust Coalition is distributing funding to cultural organizations based on the goals and strategies and benchmarks of this plan. It is recommended that the Coalition review the plan, goals, strategies and benchmarks once a year. It is also recommended that the Coalition review the grants once a year to be sure that they adhere to these goals and are meeting the benchmarks. The new Coalition shall develop an application for funding. Each year they should review membership to be sure it represents the full spectrum of cultural organizations and arts in Curry County.

Process for Granting Funds

1. When funds are made available the Coalition should advertise in papers that reach all three parts of the county and provide applications to those wishing to apply. This advertisement should go out two months 
ahead of the grant deadline.

2. All applications must be complete to be accepted.

3. Once the application deadline is reached the acceptance of completed applications is over.

4. The Coalition shall then take thirty days to review the applications and set a meeting date to discuss and decide on which projects to fund.

5. Projects must meet the Strategic Plan's Goals and Objectives and have measures to meet benchmarks.

6  Once the decision is made the Coalition will fund the project.

7. Financial accountability is required for all projects. 

8. A final report of the project will be competed when closing the project and approved by the Coalition.

*Download an Application and Budget Forms for a CCCC Grant

    Application Form

    Budget Form

Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council Mission Statement

The Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council invests in Oregon's arts, humanities and heritage. The Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council will promote and perpetuate cultural awareness in Curry County and serve as a spring board for much needed financial support.

Curry Cultural Trust Planning Council Goals and Strategies

Goal: Advocate for Curry County's collective cultural resources with a unified voice

Strategies:
-Establish a calendar and clearing house for ail cultural events and resources
-Develop a publicity campaign and newsletter to promote local facilities/events, utilizing "a message from your cultural trust"
-Consider hiring a cultural director to coordinate county activities and promotions
-Establish a volunteer program to enlist participation, including social services, civic projects and local governments

Benchmark: Update and publish a monthly listing of all cultural opportunities available in Curry County including dates, times, and locations.
Indicator of Success: Numerous requests for information are received

Benchmark: Identify current practices of collecting and distributing information. Investigate and list additional ways to accomplish this task.
Indicator of Success: Information system receives positive community response

Benchmark: Proceed in a timely manner the procurement of a cultural director.
Indicator of Success: Funding for director position is received

Benchmark: Establish a list of qualified volunteers and add to the list as necessary
Indicator of Success: List of volunteers grows quickly

Goal: Preserve and enhance artistic, cultural and historic resources

Strategies:
-Encourage historic preservation committees in focal communities
-Promote educational opportunities, including grant writing assistance
-Encourage local groups to provide scholarships

Benchmark: Identify the number of designated historical buildings and landmarks in Curry County and update this list regularly.
Indicator of Success: Local historic committees are established

Benchmark: Identify the number of guided tours to historical landmarks, museums and buildings and update this list regularly.
Indicator of Success: Number of tours grows over previous years

Benchmark: Increase the number of applications for cultural related grants
Indicator of Success: Grant writing classes and grant applications increase

Benchmark: Identify and publish what scholarships are available and the number of scholarships to be awarded each year. Identify the scholarship providers and the scholarship recipients. Update the list annually while monitoring the increase in the number and the amount of the scholarships.
Indicator of Success: At least one new scholarship is added per year

Goal: Promote Curry County arts, humanities and heritage to residents and visitors

Strategies:
-Support the creation of performing and other arts centers throughout county
-Utilize advanced technology to inform the public of cultural opportunities and invite their participation -Develop a year'round advertising and promotion campaign
- Support production of a video and/or CD about local artists, musicians, writers, etc.
-Increase publicity in visitors' guides and other publications

Benchmark: Reports will be made regularly assessing the progress toward building performing and other art centers in Curry County.
Indicator of Success: Communities accept need for new cultural centers

Benchmark: An increase in the ways and means of distributing information using advancements in technology will be carefully monitored (i.e. web. site counter.)
Indicator of Success: Funding mechanism for information system is acquired

Benchmark: An increase in local awareness of cultural opportunities will be measured by careful monitoring the number of people attending cultural related events.
Indicator of Success: Plan generates new interest in area culture

Goal: Promote cultural tourism and become a destination point for cultural experiences

Strategies:
-Create partnerships with groups that promote county-wide tourism
-Support tour packages specific to county cultural offerings
-Encourage art shows, concerts, festivals, etc. that offer significant prizes
-Consider hiring a public relations or publicity firm to promote area cultural events
-Coordinate with existing county tourism themes
-Seek grants to assist or pay for annual promotional campaigns

Benchmark:Identify the current ways cultural opportunities within Curry County are advertised outside the county. Advertising will increase in proportion to available funds. Success will be measured by carefully monitoring increases in attendance at cultural functions; an increase in the number of registered visitors at museums, galleries, historical buildings, visitors centers; the increasing number of scholarship recipients and the amounts awarded annually; increasing ticket sales at concerts and plays; etc.
Indicator of Success: New promotions produce more requests for information

Goal: Broaden and deepen public participation in the arts, humanities and heritage of Curry County

Strategies:
-Develop an information system that enhances the dialogue with county musicians, artists and historians -Explore a public arts program funded by new construction of public buildings
- Encourage summer youth programs that involve artists, musicians, historians, etc.
-Support more studios/classrooms for art and music instruction
-Encourage county-wide competitions for student artists, musicians, writers, etc.

Benchmark: Annually count the number of newly identified cultural resources in the county and add them to the established list.
Indicator of Success: Number of listings grows annually

Benchmark: Increase the number of arts related opportunities available for our youth
Indicator of Success: Funding is acquired for new programs

Goal: Promote economic development of Curry County arts, humanities and heritage

Strategies:
(All of the above, especially community centers, public programs, events, shows, etc.)