Art zone

Worcester's art scene is promising, but diffuse. It's the job of Christine Proffitt, the city's new arts liaison, to bring it all together

by Chris Kanaracus

Say what you will about Worcester -- we've heard it a million times, anyway: it's grimy, the industrial base that powered the city's rise has long since faded, and culturally speaking, we constantly play understudy to similarly sized, but more prosperous communities. It's old music. In truth, though, no one can deny Worcester's wealth of cultural riches. To the north is Higgins Armory, home to one of the planet's best small collections of medieval art and artifacts. Holding court near downtown is the Worcester Art Museum, a fixture on the New England art scene for more than 100 years and considered one of the nation's leading institutions. Dozens of professional and amateur theatrical productions are presented here each year. There are scores of places to see and hear local art -- just check the listings in the newspaper you're holding. Art and culture are everywhere.

Everywhere. Such a word. On one level, a compliment and testament. But on another, it's a fierce challenge that has long plagued the area's arts community. Worcester's arts are ample but scattered, both geographically and metaphorically. Higgins Armory is more than a mile from WAM. The Fletcher-Priest Gallery is tucked away off Park Avenue. The city's most thriving rock club, the Lucky Dog Music Hall, is 15 blocks away from relatively hopping North Main Street.

And many say Worcester's arts community, from museums and theater groups to local symphony orchestras, remains fragmented in self-sufficient cliques that are unwilling to accept outsiders. That's all going to change if 30-year-old Christine Proffitt has her way. On November 1, Proffitt, currently Corporate Foundation and Government Relations Manager at WAM, will assume her duties as the city's official liaison between the arts community and business and city leaders. Her mission will be to co-ordinate Worcester's disparate arts interests into a coherent force.

That's not to say the problem hasn't been addressed before. ARTSWorcester has been in operation for years, organizing artists and arts groups on a grassroots level. And remember the arts-district proposal for Green Island? First talked about in 1997, the plan might have transformed that neighborhood from a crumbling mass of abandoned factory buildings into a thriving den of creativity, but it all unraveled when local business owners clashed with the plan's boosters, which included mayor Ray Mariano.

The arts-district initiative lives on, but in much smaller form and with a different location, on Main Street. And even this second potential home for the arts has had difficulty taking root. A move to convert the vacant David Burwick furniture store into live-work space for artists fell through when the project's backers, Community Builders Inc., found that existing damage to the building would make the job too cumbersome.

More recently, the group has expressed interest in the nearby, abandoned Odd Fellows hall. Coincidentally, local businessman Ediberto Santiago has announced plans to purchase the abandoned, 25,000 square foot former Mart building next door and convert the once-bustling department store into a supermarket and warehouse for his two existing markets -- a move that could upgrade the block and revitalize it with foot traffic.

Tying in with the arts-district proposal is the notion of a "cultural corridor," that would extend from WAM down Main Street to the proposed arts district. The plan is a centerpiece of a report released earlier this year by the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) -- a 50-member group of downtown-area business leaders, politicians, and arts advocates that hopes to revitalize downtown. Targeting signage, improved lighting, and the like, backers hope the area's many empty storefronts could house arts-related ventures. It's a good idea, but some would say it's a bit early for the signs on I-290 announcing the whole thing.

This is where Christine Proffitt comes in. At the recommendation of the Cultural Council, and with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Commission, city government, and area groups, she was hired by the city, in September, at $50,000 a year to coordinate efforts among artists, politicians, and businesspeople. The city has pledged to take over full funding of Proffitt's position after two years.

Proffitt comes to the job with strong credentials. She moved through the ranks at WAM with astounding speed, starting as a special-events coordinator and working her way to chief grant writer. Ask supporters why she was chosen for the city post, and you'll hear enough descriptions like "go-getter," "energetic," and "brilliant" to make your ears burn.

Last week, with the help of area artists, theater groups, and musicians, the Phoenix drafted questions and posed them to Proffitt at her WAM office.

Q: What's your background, particularly as it concerns the arts? Where are you from?

A: I grew up in Leceister, and went to school at Clark University, where I majored in studio art. I've spent most of my professional life in the arts and culture arena in Worcester. I've worked for the Historical Museum, ARTSWorcester, and for the past four and a half years, here at the Art Museum. I've got a strong connection and commitment [to Worcester]. I've got a broad knowledge of the arts and cultural institutions in our community, and a deep passion for the arts.

Q: Tell us about your work at the Worcester Art Museum.

A: I've had an interesting history at the museum. This is now my third role in the past four years. I started in special events, which led to my organizing the centennial celebration. It really led to my being introduced to numerous community groups that year. For the past two and a half years, I've been the Corporate Foundation and Government Relations Manager, in which I'm the primary grant writer for the museum.

Q: What should area arts folks expect from you?

A: It's an interesting hybrid, this [cultural liaison] position. I will be supervised by Everett Shaw [Worcester's development officer], and I'll be located at City Hall, but I'll be reporting to the Cultural Coalition board. The Cultural Coalition is the unified voice of the arts community in Worcester. It's comprised of over 36 [people]. In essence, I'll be serving as the executive director, and the board of directors of the Cultural Coalition will be my executive committee.

Essentially, I'm charged with advancing the Cultural Coalition's mission -- to draw on the diverse and rich assets of Worcester's cultural community to create a strong cultural identity for the city. There's a cultural agenda that's been developed over the past 18 months with collaboration by people from all sectors. So I really will be coming on with a set of goals.

First and foremost: to raise awareness. We've already got a strong base, whether the many ethnic festivals, a large number of educational institutions. How do we accomplish that? We're looking to establish the Worcester "cultural corridor" along Main Street and funneling into the arts district. Marking that location as the key destination point for the region, and corresponding to that, helping create affordable live-work space for artists. That's already moving along. I also want to maximize the city's marketing efforts concerning the arts. I'm not sure if you've seen the brochure that was recently debuted by Susan Black. It's beautiful. That's exactly the example of the type of materials we'd like to see in the future. Also signage, banners, things like that will be a main component of the marketing effort.

Of course, for any of these goals to be accomplished, it's going to be about maintaining the relationships that have already been established with the city council, the chamber of commerce, the city manager, the mayor. . . . It'll be about maintaining those and enhancing new ones, so that we can move forward with these goals.

Q: Who are some of your favorite artists?

A: Robert Rauschenberg is my favorite artist. Jasper Johns, that period of Abstract Expressionism, is actually my favorite. For musicians, I like R&B.

Q: How much power will you actually have in your new post? People we've talked to are afraid this position could be just another bureaucrat.

A: Well, I work under the auspices of Everett Shaw, so I will have full support from the development office. Everett Shaw has set up an arrangement where the Cultural Coalition serves as our board of directors. So we move forward based on what the Cultural Coalition's needs and interests are. I'm coming on board working in City Hall per se, but I'm coming on board with a passion for the arts and a good background, and with a deep interest and commitment to the cultural organizations in Worcester to see that their needs and interests are met.

Q: Judging from people in the arts community we've talked to, there's a lot of skepticism out there. How will you combat it?

A: You know, Worcester has a history. In the early '90s, there were budget cuts made, and the position of director of the Cultural Coalition was eliminated. So skepticism is understandable. But I think the momentum that has been built over the past 18 months is real evidence as to advances in the right direction. The [arts and culture] brochure is a perfect example. I don't know if you've seen on I-290, the Worcester Cultural District signs. The fact that the arts district has been designated. That was not possible without the city council's and neighborhood's support.

So I have sensed over the past year and a half, two years, that there is a real move forward that hopefully will quell their fears or any skepticism. The fact that this position, my position, was developed is a clear sign of how dedicated and committed the city of Worcester is.

Q: How are you going to get city leaders to commit real tax dollars to arts-related things, with minimal delays?

A: The funds raised for this position really came from efforts from [both] the groups involved with the Cultural Coalition -- there was a volunteer levy -- and from the city; the city gave about $10,000. And the city will be housing the office. So there is a financial contribution from the city, and also there was help from their grant writers in writing the grants that helped fund this position. . . .

I think it will really be up to me to make sure that [funding] will only increase. The level of our efforts as we go along will help that process of getting tax dollars committed. I think ideas like having a percentage of the costs for new development, new buildings, go towards the arts, things like that, will be seriously looked at.

Q: How can you specifically help the individual artist, who might work out of his or her home with less of a connection to established groups like ARTSWorcester?

A: Individual artists and the public alike, I think our end goal is the same -- to create a city of culture. I think we all want that to happen. I would ask both the public and to individual artists to show support -- attend City Council meetings when items are on the agenda that involve culture; write letters to their councilors and representatives, to the city manager, to the mayor; write to me.

I want to have this open dialogue about what they see, how they feel, what they could contribute, or what could benefit them. And I do think that depending on what their needs are . . . if they want to sell artwork, then I'd say a group like ARTSWorcester could be beneficial. What I'd like to see -- and these are long-term goals -- in the cultural corridor is not only signage and banners, but also to have all the businesses down there house original works of art, whether working with individual artists, or with ARTSWorcester directly.

They have a program in place to set up artists with businesses for that exact reason -- for commissions, for purchase. So I see a lot of potential and opportunities for artists who aren't yet streamlined into the cultural mix here to become involved, to stand up, to have a say. And to be a part of the arts district, if affordable work space is something they have a need for, that will certainly become available to them.

Q: How can you encourage local businesses to support the arts, such as with a small space set aside for local works?

A: That's an interesting question. When I was at ARTSWorcester, I was actually the gallery director, and when we lost our space on Main Street, we lost the gallery that went with that. So what we developed is a satellite gallery program where we went out to restaurants, UMass Medical Center, [and the like]. These business responded to our requests. People were very responsive. But it's a tremendous amount of human-resource consumption to put into something like that. ARTSWorcester does [currently] do that.

One of the big successes, I think, is the gallery at Quinsigamond Community College. The administration financially supports that program. They contribute to ARTSWorcester, ARTSWorcester administers it, they have the site. It benefits the college, it provides income for ARTSWorcester, and it benefits local artists. I have to absolutely believe that the businesses located in Worcester would be responsive to that. It's really a matter of putting them in touch directly with either artists or cultural resources, such as the ARTSWorcester Cultural Resource Book. I'd like to see more of this happening throughout the city, where we see more original art being displayed, not mass-produced posters.

Q: The youth factor is a crucial part of any movement, no less in this situation. How can the city support those young, hungry artists who don't feel comfortable in an establishment setting?

A: I know that exact sort of need has been addressed for the past six or so years on a very intense basis by the Worcester Art Museum and other organizations in the area. Audience development, or how you make institutions as foreboding, say, as WAM, more welcoming. To make the community feel like this is their resource, not a formidable institution with concrete walls, etc. There's been much effort by WAM and other groups to make sure people of all ages feel welcome. I think you do that with marketing -- programming that involves youth. The community mosaic project [at WAM] was a perfect example of that. A project like that, which really brought people together on and off site, I think really created a sense that "this is our place." Everyone's working to create a more welcome environment.

Q: If you ask around, most local artists will tell you the WAM is a no-show when it comes to local art. What do you say to them?

A: WAM supports local artists in a number of ways. The museum has awarded moneys to ARTSWorcester's biannual show, held at the Center for Crafts, which is the area's largest juried show. They employ a tremendous amount of local artists here as faculty. Trust me, I work with them. We award scholarships. As far as the appropriation of space within the museum for local art, I don't think I'm the right person to comment on that.

Q: Which other new revenue sources, whether local, state or federal, can be exploited?

A: Coming from my background, I've found there's a tremendous amount of local support. The Greater Worcester Community Foundation, for one. There are a lot of federal agencies that in terms of this kind of grant writing, I'm not as familiar with because I'm coming from a non-profit standpoint. But there are a lot of available funding sources. But again, what I think has incredible potential is the business community in Worcester, as far as funding sources for cultural programming on the Common, banners, things of that nature. . . I think there's tremendous potential.

Q: For Worcester to truly identify itself as an arts-centric, happening place, outsiders will have to know about it. Marketing is key. How will you market things going on here outside the city?

A: Information kiosks were a big part of the CCDC plan, and I think those things stationed in certain locations will be very helpful. But again, I see tremendous potential with the business sector, because those businesses have how many employees? Those people can be reached. What I see as a tremendous vehicle for reaching people who [we] might not otherwise is email and postings within businesses.

If we can rally the business sector -- and many of them are already involved, particularly in the [downtown] area -- to come on board with the cultural agenda, to help promote Worcester as a city of culture, then they have the power to do that starting with square one. To promote staying after hours for cultural programs, for what might be happening on the Common. To post calendars of events. I think there's potential there to reach a new audience.

Q: Strictly speaking, besides the Worcester Art Museum, there are only a few actual, free-standing art galleries in town -- Fletcher/Priest for example. How can we bring about more?

A: Well, the Center for Crafts has their gallery. That's a business venture. There's a lot of components involved. But I think the hope is with the cultural corridor, the underutilized space there will be renovated to harbor artists. And when you have people downtown, you're going to need amenities to support those people. And that's going to mean everything from restaurants to sports stores to cafés, pouring houses, supermarkets -- things like that. And that's when you'll see the ricochet effect. People will view Worcester as a cultural place, as a hub for art, a place to come and buy art. To visit places like WAM or Higgins Armory or Mechanics Hall. That's when you're going to see that ripple effect of gallery owners -- of art-supply store owners -- coming downtown to be near this key audience.

Q: Why did you accept this job? Do you have a contract?

A: This was a great transition for me. Clearly, I'm devoted and committed to the arts arena in Worcester, and I saw this as a great way to benefit not just one organization in Worcester, but all of them.

Q: Why are you the right person for the job?

A: Because I really have a strong background in the arts, a strong affection for the arts, and a good amount of experience in development. I've got an understanding of Worcester -- having grown up in the area -- of the history and cultural climate. I think all of those combined -- and let's not forget, a high level of optimism and enthusiasm -- they felt made the right sort of mix for this job.

Q: The Centre City Development Plan suggested the Palladium be purchased and converted into a home for traveling Broadway shows. This plan suggests a distinct lack of grasp of the big picture. Is it wise to cut one of New England's best rock clubs off at the knees?

A: I don't know that level of detail -- what their plans are for revamping that particular space. Until I get my feet more situated, I don't really feel qualified to respond to that at this point.

Q: What should area club owners expect? Should the local rock scene be considered part of the arts?

A: Music is a huge component in the whole cultural agenda-Cultural Corridor plan. Gilrein's, for instance, is going to play a huge part in the arts district. Gilrein's is an institution by itself. Also places like the Palladium. They absolutely reinforce it. It's got to be a huge part of the mix. When we say artists, it does not mean just visual artists. It runs the gamut. We have incredible poets in this area, incredible musicians, and a tremendous amount of visual artists. And those are the ones we already know, so we can just imagine how many more there are out there. Part of this transformation is going to be not just about gallery space, but about performance space, rehearsal space as well.

Q: What sort of role can the Worcester Public Schools play in an arts revival?

A: There's actually a very established program in place. I met just recently with the Worcester Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, which is a forum for arts educators of the various cultural organizations, along with the public-school people. It's a great forum and a way to make sure arts are included as part of the schools' curriculum. Places like the WAM, Tower Hill Botanical Garden, or Higgins Armory are doing tremendous amounts of programming to make sure what makes their institution special gets incorporated into the curriculum of the schools. We've got about 20,000 school children. That's a great audience. These are the people we're trying to expose to our arts culture.

Q: Worcester, unlike communities such as Northampton and even Fitchburg, doesn't have any major annual arts festivals. As liaison, will you push for such things to happen?

A: We do have craft fairs, like the Center for Crafts events. But I think that's a great idea. I will mark that on my list of things to investigate. Programming is essential, for sure. The physicality of creating a cultural corridor is key. But one doesn't work without the other. Again, I think that's a great suggestion.

Q: What will it take from city government and area arts folks to help you do your job effectively?

A: Unilateral cooperation. I think there's been a tremendous level of cooperation to date. My expectation is that it will continue. I think we all want the same end result. We may differ a little about how to get there, but I think when all is said and done, we'll reach an agreement.

Q: Politics can be messy. Certain individuals have shown themselves to be more concerned with taking credit for success than with getting the job done. How are you prepared to deal with that?

A: I'm not going to be moved by that. As long as it gets done, that's fine by me.

Q: What's possible here in Worcester? Describe your vision of the future, if all the cards could fall in place.

Q: This is a terrific city. Worcester has incredible offerings. We have over 36 arts and cultural organizations here. We have 12 higher-educational institutions located in and around Worcester. That's a tremendous resource. We're known for our medical research and resources. We've got the Worcester Centrum Centre, the renovations of Union Station. . . . We have a lot now to build upon.

So my vision is that downtown Worcester becomes a hub of art, a hub of culture -- of artists, of coffee shops, banks, business owners, public art. That downtown becomes a hub that has spokes that reach to all parts of the city, so that we are seen as a real destination place. We're dealing with revitalizing brownfields, renovating abandoned buildings. While those things move along and we move along with them, I think the synergy that's created will have a wonderful end result.

Q: What's going to be the toughest part of your job?

A: Transforming the naysayers into believers.

Chris Kanaracus can be reached at ckanaracus[a]phx.com.