Politics & Government

Roswell Establishes New Arts Commission

The new body, which replaces the Roswell Cultural Arts Board, is designed to be a more active, independent advocate.

The Roswell Cultural Arts Board is no more. 

Last week the Roswell Mayor and City Council replaced that body with the new Roswell Arts Commission, with the aim of making it a more strategic and independent body to advocate for the arts and cultural affairs in the city. 

The move comes just as Roswell is set to observe National Arts and Humanities Month in October.

Find out what's happening in Roswellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rochelle Mucha had been the chairwoman of the Cultural Arts Board, which operated under the city's Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department, and is assuming a similar role with the independent commission.

She said the new body was created to have a more direct relationship with city officials, a more active role in lining up partnerships for the arts in the community, and to position the arts as a consideration in redevelopment and business matters in Roswell.

Find out what's happening in Roswellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It's an opportunity to rebrand and reintroduce ourselves," Mucha told Roswell Patch. "We we've been striving for is an entity that's a strategic leader and partner for the arts in Roswell."

To kick off the new direction, the commission will hold its first public event, "A Public Conversation on the Arts," on Oct. 10.

The free event will take place from 7-9 p.m. at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, and the public is invited to attend.

The first Roswell Creative Alliance Workshop will take place on Oct. 24 and other initiatives will establish a Roswell Public Art Policy and a Business for the Arts organization. 

Mucha laid out her arguments for greater community involvement in the arts in a recent letter published in Roswell Patch, "In Roswell, The Arts Matter!"

She said the new commission will be established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which will better enable it to build alliances between artists, organizations, city officials, the business community and other groups. 

Since most of what the Cultural Arts Board has done has been limited to funding it received from the city, she said, "we want [the new commission] to raise public awareness and business interest," ultimately with the ability to conduct independent fundraising campaigns for the arts over the long term. 

“The arts have always been and will continue to be an important part of our community and the Arts Commission is an integral part of growing the arts community in Roswell," Roswell Mayor Jere Wood said. 

To learn more about the Roswell Arts Commission or more information on upcoming Arts events in Roswell contact rochellemucha@att.net or subscribe to the Historic & Cultural Affairs Division’s monthly E-newsletter by contacting Morgan Timmis at mtimmis@roswellgov.com.


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