Easy. A museum dedicated to Paul Laffoley and Robert Anton Wilson. It would enrich the city, create tourism, educate the masses and probably save lives.

cultural for who? 90 year old rich white people or something more useful?

that said the best cultural thing would be like a skate park or maybe a small entertainment pavillion downtown.

other than that i dont know... worcester is a very blue collar town. itd seem like some 20K statue or some mural of a dog humping a rabbit would be a complete waste of $.

I digress, but those income figures are scary compared to the housing market...

Of course, if we are talking about a municipally run project, assume that X will cost twice as much as you'd expect.

Quote:

Wirrlygirl wrote:
I think anything that improves the look of the city will make people feel good about living here. cool architecture, murals, clean streets... 

... They offered a cost of $21 million, but have refused to explain the figure. Greg Allen and the New York Times attempted to itemize the costs and could account for about $5-10 million, given reasonable estimates for parts, labor, and costs related to the staffing of the installation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates


$20,000. That's all you have to spend. Please play by these rules.

Quote:

Wirrlygirl wrote:
my most sensible use of the 20 grand would help artsworcester have this 3 ton sculpture moved out of storage and installed down by federal square.

To start an annual festival, to be held in Green Hill Park on Columbus Day Weekend, which was designed both to showcase and promote local art and music, and to encourage people to become more educated about how to live in environmentally friendly ways. The focus of the festival would be on embracing the local--local music, local artists, local food and drink, locally produced goods, etc.

So, as at all festivals, there would be a stage or two for musicians to play over the course of the day, and local artists and makers would have booths to showcase their wares, but all of this would be supplemented by exhibits or booths which promoted environmentally friendly practices and products--we'd have New England Rain Barrel there, and let someone sell clothespins and laundry lines, and have the Audubon society there with things for little kids, the Heifer Project, etc.

I know Columbus Day weekend is a travel weekend, so it wouldn't catch everyone--but it would give people a reason to stay in town. A few of us have been talking about this idea since this past summer, but feeling overwhelmed by the logistics of things like permitting, getting money, soliciting sponsors, etc., and we haven't moved on it like we were hoping to. If the heavens dropped $20,000 in our laps, I'm sure that would kickstart it.

Actually now that I think of it, I would use the 20 grand to start a Start on the Street type thing for underground music, except the goal wouldn't be to promote local music but to promote Worcester as a place to come for music. It would be outside and inside, multipal venues, in the Green Island neighborhood. It would start small, you only have 20 grand, but the goal would be that this festival is annual and grows every year, to the point where it is getting national attention at least with the indie and underground music press. Of course you could eventually tie in visual art and film with this but I would start it all with the music, and I would start it small, with as I said, the goal being to grow it, year by year. The long term of this is a region that has a more positive opinion and view of Worcester, specifically the urban areas of Worcester. It will showcase Worcester as a viable urban option in the Northeast to young creative people besides NYC, Boston and Providence and maybe create an inspiration for other events throughout the year. The national recognition though is key. If the only people that would go to the thing are from Rutland it just doesn't matter.

indy and underground music?

who does that serve?  if the goal of spending the 20K is to do it logically, then the logical choice would be for something that the majoirty of people in worcester actually like so it could thrive.

and your answer to that, as shocking as it may be is hip hop.  hip hop influences your majority of culture in worcester.  the average person would get much more bang for the buck for that.

sure if something is executed in poor concept or design then yeah, opposite effect- especially if it is a long term feature of a neighborhood.

And good art not seeing the light of day due to lack of funding or interest is frustrating too. so when I said that "my most sensible use of the money" I was thinking of this note worthy sculpture that is just sitting in the dark for years after being donated. So, would I rather see it installed at Union station or at Christy's in NY being auctioned off?  I would hope to keep it in the city if possible. so when i thought, how could i use this imaginary 20K immediately this popped into my head. 

I believe that public art reflects the culture of a community, boosts civic pride, and makes a place more enjoyable to visit- for generations of residents and tourists. I want to see more of it in this city and I think that public art has a place right next to everyone elses ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_art 

lets just say you had a vote on the t&g of everything mentioned on here vs. spending all 20K on bringing snoop dog to east park for a free show.

snoop-a-loop would win every time dudes.

the answer is snoop-a-loop

First off I will agree that the Green St. mural certainly leaves something to be desired. The city could have commissioned any number of talented graffiti street artists for that space.

Not all graffiti is "bad" or "illegal" and this location could have been a great showpiece for a cutting edge piece of "urban" art. A nice graffiti mural that had a message and a slogan in bold colors and design could have been completed in a weekend at a fraction of the cost.

As far as what I would do if I had $20K:

I would use the money to fund after school, weekend or off hours activities for middle school aged kids in the area.

Get these "at risk" kids off the streets and paired up with mentors and/or big brothers/sisters to do things that are cool, hip and interesting, just like the Ali Bombz "Main South Speaks" project.

Reading about the success of kids who attend The University Park School shows that there are kids out there who will try hard and can break the cycle that they are in if they are given a chance to thrive.

I think using the money to uplift children can be the best way to break the cycle of poverty and abuse and raise up a community as a whole.

I had initially typed funding programs for kids, as was just mentionned, but didn't have a direct outlet to fund,

but here here...I do think it would do good for them.

 Of course, having kids and a want for good opportunities pours over to other children as well, so yes, anything to keep them steered down positive paths would definitely get my thumbs up... be it enriching existing centers that specialize in this (is the old ToyStore down by Tatnuck still a youth center?

An influx of computers or technologies, or sponsoring of "field trips" for these youths in the realms of arts sciences and technologies could open doorways in their minds otherwise not explored....

 These kids need less negative influences and more role models.

I would love to know what the majority of Worcester wants. I would love to know that on so many levels about so many things. I have my theories, but I would love to actually know for sure.

it's not really culture, and who knows if it's logistically possible, but I still think a skydive festival at the airport would be a good time

This thread is a great example of why nothing gets done in Worcester. On top of all the other things that go on in this city I think there is a tremendous attitude of die hard individualism that keeps people from working together and has everyone off in their own little corner doing their own thing instead of working together on a common goal. It's hard enough just to find people who have a common goal.

When I say I would want to know what the majority of people want in Worcester the one thing I would like to know is what are the things people want from Worcester. What would you like to see happen here? What would make the city better for you, your family and loved ones? What would make you proud to call Worcester home?

If you can get a large group of people together that have one vision that can put personal desires away for that common vision then no one can stop you.

Alot of people here are in bands. Say you have four people in a band and you guys are playing the best music anyone has ever heard. If all four of you aren't on the same page as far as what you want from the band that band in the end isn't going anywhere. Even if you are on the same page as to what you want from the band you also need to be on the same page as to how you are going to get what you want from the band.

I feel it's the same with any type of group effort. People cannot do it alone. Whatever was done with that 20 Grand I would hope it would be something that has legs (that creates it's own money), that takes in multiple mediums of art, and that helps the community at large. I can get behind anything that does those three things and I would help out on anything that was going towards those three things.

Personally I would like to see one of the urban neighborhoods in Worcester rise up and become a great place to live, play, and create. A self sustaining neighborhood that almost becomes it's own little village that you really don't even have to leave and you surely don't need your gas guzzeling car to get around in. A walkable neighborhood with great bars, restaurants and shops, that is brimming with music, art, creativity and overall vibrancy. That's what I want ultimately from Worcester and I only want it in one neighborhood. It would be great if it spread to other neighborhoods but I would be satisfied with one.
I am not going to try and sell anyone on this idea in this thread, I have done enough of that in the past and will continue to do so in the future. This is what I want from the city though and I would be willing to work my ass off with anyone with a plan I could believe in that would result in this.

Can you clearly say what it is that you want from the city? Do you have a vision of what things would be like if where you lived was exactly like how you want it to be? If so speak up! I want to hear what peoples visions are of the Worcester they would love to live in. Duncan maybe I should start another thread?

I bounced the idea of this thread off a friend last night. I posed the question: If there was one thing that you would want to see in worcester or felt that worcester was lacking, what would it be?

 His answer was almost exactly what you just posted. a walkable neighborhood with restaurants and shops but more along the lines of a "little chinatown".

so i wonder...what neighborhood has that potential or is currently heading in that direction? what are the missing elements and what would you do to make that neighborhood better?

C'mon that's one ragged thought process if a single url was able to slay it.

And what's with the Engrish? 

**edit**

Not fair Gabe, no redactions allowed during league play. 

Wow! Great link, Duncan.

Maybe the Sprout seed bombs will grow plants over the mural.

Even the free movies & music in the park could be extended upon to include local artists and more local musicians- what about a joint event happening in all parks on any given day to touch upon multiple neighborhoods- it would be a massive effort and 20k would be a great starting point. I think it would be superb for people to jump from park to park...art, music, kid friendly, pet friendly...take all of the events we love in Worcester and blend- act as a single entity for the day or better yet an entire weekend. I realize my idea isn't developed but you get the point...

Hey Duncan, where does the $20K figure really come from? I don't really see it in that press release link (this one).

I've heard other obscene amounts that the city reportedly paid for the GSB mural, but none as high as that, and I can't seem to find any other info on it. If it is as high as 20K, that's completely fucking unacceptable.

$20,000. Use to renovate an old factory building on Lamartine Street, Beacon Street, or even the Chess King building on Hammond / Tainter and do something like, oh I don't know... MassMOCA... A real art museum, an INCLUSIVE museum that welcomes not just the traditional boring art, but also the way too difficult to explain abstracty stuff, the difficult to endure performance art stuff and the oh my god my life wasn't complete until I saw this truly life enriching freeflowing whatever it is art... And more... Not a Worcester Artist Group, but a better run Worcester Artist Group meets MassMOCA meets renegare bizarro indie stuff... and I'd definitely have Jacob Berendes on retainer as a talent finder... But Worcester doesn't think outside the box, so $20,000 will be wasted on pretty much anything. Sorry, but...

Second, actually do-able idea... GRAFITTI / street art museum OUTSIDE in Brosnihan Square on the overpass where 146 connects with 290. Underneath where these two routes connect are some perfectly awesome spaces for some thought out, well produced (NOT Green Street Bridge) outside mural art (please look at Philadelphia's murals, please). I was up in Quebec City and stumbled across an outside street art museum of sorts under a highway and it was absolutely beautiful. ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/78135474@N00/115054577 )