What do you think all these things might have in common?
~Hip hop, African movement and lyrical contemporary dance classes;
~Hard-to-find houseplants grown with artisanal care;
~Colorful, themed cookie trays for special occasion;
~Summertime instruction in maritime culture and the ecology of Long Island Sound;
~An iconic rock venue for 24 years.
Each of these programs, places and activities are considered “cultural assets” and take place in West Haven. A local arts organizing group known as ArtsWestCT has decided to grab hold of the Centennial spirit by creating a snapshot of these and other assets to build a Culture Map of West Haven at this point in time, with help from the whole community.
Says Elinor Slomba, an arts manager who has been advising ArtsWestCT’s President Sue McCarthy for the past 18 months, has been instrumental in the project.
“An Artists Roundtable that attracted 40 participants in February 2020 revealed that many of the cultural practitioners in West Haven don’t really know each other. So we’re introducing the same tool – a Cultural Asset Mapping Project or C.A.M.P. Kit – that has worked well in Austin, TX, Hamden, CT, and other places to help the community see itself more clearly from a cultural perspective,” she said.
According to the CAMP Kit, not only artist studios and performance venues but also restaurants, parks, festivals, even houses of worship can be considered cultural assets. A two-page form that takes approximately 3 minutes to complete has gone live with the help of Luke Slomba, a student in urban planning at Cornell who is home for the summer. It is available online at https://forms.gle/FUvcBjNbmHGLFibXA
Printed copies of the form are also available. To receive one in the mail, simply email artswestct@gmail.com and provide a valid mailing address.
Liz Johnston, a City Councilwoman representing the Third District and also an artist, was the very first to respond.
Her entry reads, “My whole life my family emphasized the value of nature and taking care of the natural world. I feel best at the beach or on the water. It makes me feel close to something spiritual, familiar, and close to home. I use the ocean and shore as inspiration for art: writing and crafting.”
Anyone can fill out the Cultural Mapping form – as many times as they wish. The more participation that the form receives, the more complete and vibrant the map will be, and more representative of the whole community.
Cultural asset mapping is an approach used around the world to collect citizen input. The results can help West Haven:
~ Promote arts and culture through maps, tours, and guides to help orient new residents and visitors.
~ Discover new connections between local arts groups.
~Identify community needs and potential partners for the future of 304 Center Street (formerly a Masonic Temple, now owned by the city and earmarked to be a multidisciplinary arts center)
After gathering input over the summer, the items will be verified and then uploaded onto a street map of West Haven. The map will be enhanced with photographs, website links and contact information. When complete, it will be presented to the Centennial Committee as a snapshot of the City’s current cultural life.
Volunteers can earn community service hours for helping to verify the information on the map. Child care and transportation stipends are available. The form has a section where people can sign up to help. In the coming weeks and months, ArtsWestCT will also post more information on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Westhavenarts.
ArtsWestCT is available to host informational forums about the Cultural Mapping project. To request one for your district, neighborhood or organization, email artswestct@gmail.com. This project is supported in part by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.