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Alexandria City Council Approves Van Alstine Sculpture Donation Yesterday, the Alexandria City Council approved the Alexandria Sculpture Festival donation by John Van Alstine. The sculpture, “Sacandaga Totem,” is a rough cut, granite obelisk with four heavy steel fins bolted at the base and welded to a steel plate. The sculpture measures 113 inches high x 66 inches wide x 43 inches deep, and weighs 5,000 pounds. Van Alstine, who lives in New York, has exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The sculpture will be displayed in the plaza at the southwest corner of South Fayette and King Streets. The City received more than 50 comments during public input earlier this month. The majority of comments viewed the sculpture donation favorably, and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts voted in favor of receiving the donation this past Monday. “The City of Alexandria
is very excited to receive a sculpture from such an internationally
renowned artist,” said Mayor William D. Euille. “Art enhances
a community and we look forward to future opportunities to add
art throughout our City.” For more information about other programs and services of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, please call the Commission's office at 703.838.6348, or visit alexandriacommissionforthearts.org. To
read the artist's resume, CLICK
HERE.
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Alexandria Commission for the Arts Schedules
The public is invited to attend a public hearing to provide input and to develop criteria for art that will honor the memory and contributions of civil rights attorney Charles H. Houston at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, which is currently under construction. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at the Dr. Oswald Durant Memorial Center (1605 Cameron St.). The Commission’s regular monthly meeting will follow the public hearing. The purpose of the public hearing is to gather input from the community, and to provide an update of information received from previous community meetings. Residents are encouraged to bring suggestions about their preferences for the public art that will be placed in the new recreation center’s pedestrian plaza. City staff will use the ideas generated to develop the scope of work for the public art. The scope and concepts will then become part of the information used in the public art competition sponsored by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. The recreation center is located on the former site of the first Parker-Gray School on Wythe St., which was demolished in the early 1980s. Houston was an attorney of national reputation, and a seminal figure in the civil rights movement. He used his expertise and influence to bring educational opportunity to Alexandria’s African American community. Houston (who later became Dean of Howard University Law School) authored a legal brief that was used by his protégé, Thurgood Marshall, to win Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that helped to end racial segregation in American schools. Persons unable to
attend the public hearing can send written comments to the Department
of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, Attention: Cheryl
Anne Colton, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria, VA 22314, or e-mail
cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov.
Written comments must be received by June 6, 2008. For additional information,
call the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities
at 703.838.6348. The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or email cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov. # # # |
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Alexandria
Commission for the Arts In June, Alexandria's City Council endorsed the concept of incorporating public art honoring Charles Houston into the renovated Charles Houston Recreation Center slated to be completed in December of 2008.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts with the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is in the process of organizing a series of community outreach activities to garner insights, input and community support on the type of public art that should be located at the Charles Houston Recreation Center plaza honoring Charles Houston. The public art proposal will honor, commemorate and memorialize Charles Houston and his contributions to the struggle for civil rights and equality in public education in the City of Alexandria. It is anticipated the memorial will be sited in the open space-pedestrian plaza at the main entrance of the new facility.
The Arts Commission is developing fund-raising plans for the Houston
memorial. Lavern Chatman, Urban League President and CEO, and
Mame Reiley, President of the Reiley Group, will be heading the
fundraising efforts. If you wish to become involved with the Alexandria
Commission for the Arts in these planning efforts or have any
suggestions or comments you wish to provide, please visit, the
Alexandria Commission for the Arts' website at www.alexandriacommissionforthearts.org,
or send in your comments to: The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or email cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov. # # # |
Charles
Houston was an attorney of national reputation and a seminal figure
in the civil rights movement. He was Dean of Howard University
Law School and authored a legal brief that was used by his protégé,
Thurgood Marshall, to win the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case,
Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education, which helped end racial
segregation in American schools. Houston used his expertise and
influence in bringing educational opportunity to the Alexandria
African-American community. In appreciation for his contributions,
the elementary school on Wythe Street was renamed in his honor.
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City Council Receives the Lord Cultural Resources
Lord Cultural Resources consultancy firm conducted a study of the arts in Alexandria to assist the Commission for the Arts in creating a plan for the future to make Alexandria a more exciting, dynamic and creative community that embraces and celebrates the arts and culture. The report offers fifteen recommendations. These recommendations focus on a vision for the arts; a new mission, strategic plan, and organizational structure for the Commission; and ways to increase funding resources for the arts. To obtain a copy of the Lord Cultural Resources' final report, or for more information about the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, call 703.838.6348 or CLICK HERE to obtain a copy of the "Lord Report" in Acrobat Reader format. The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or email cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov. # # #
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Alexandria Commission for the Arts Announces Results of
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts are proud to have been active partners in this groundbreaking study. The results establish the arts and cultural industry as a major factor in Alexandria’s economy. “Alexandria is very lucky to have such an active and diverse arts community. The impact the arts has made on our community is very obvious,” stated Mayor William D. Euille. Each year, the arts and cultural industry contributes more than $80 million to the local economy in Alexandria. This figure comprises $13.64 million in expenditures by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and an additional $66.37 million in event-related spending by their audiences. It is this corollary spending that pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages, and other businesses in the City. Mary Margaret Schoenfeld, Community Development
Manager with Americans for the Arts presented the City of Alexandria's
findings at the Wednesday, February 27 artCHAT event held at the
Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 N. Union St.). Residents wishing
the opportunity to further explore this groundbreaking survey
can download a copy of Ms. Schoenfeld's Power Point presentation
by clicking Here.
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