CASE Committee Packet Materials 1.18.2024
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
TO: CASE Committee FROM: Danita Dempsey, CASE Manager
RE: Staff Update
DATE: January 15, 2024
SUMMARY: There are minimal updates required and included in this report. Staff continues the yearly
routine work of planning operations and logistics, marketing and promotions, safety and security, vendor
contracting, etc. to deliver an excellent product to the community. Also, we will begin discussions about the
longer-term work and begin our 2024 tour to explore other peer communities and their arts and culture
centers and/or programs.
STAFF UPDATE:
1. APPROVED BUDGET: The 2024 budget was adopted by Town Council on December 12, 2023.
The CASE budget net increase from 2023 to 2024 is 11%.
2. FIREWORKS IN AVON: The second annual Fireworks in Avon on Saturday, January 13th was
well attended and featured 10-minute fireworks display to a choregraphed music score, free hot
chocolate, peppermint schnapps (21+), chocolate chip cookies and guests were surprised and
delighted by a performance by the Battle Mountain Line Drum. Staff is working on the post-event
brief and will provide reporting during the CASE Committee February meeting.
3. AVON ARTS CELEBRATION: Event producer, Darren Skanson has requested, and Staff has
approved, to return to a 3-day festival this year instead of a 2-day festival as previously discussed.
The event takes place on July 26, 27 and 28, 2024.
CURRENT / PLANNING ACTIVITY:
1. CASE COMMITTEE APPLICANTS: The application for new CASE Committee members was
made available in mid-December and closed January 15th to fill the two (2) open seats. Staff has
received four (4) applications, two from incumbent members (1) Pedro Campos and (2) Doug
Jimenez and new applicants (3) Mr. Greg Cooper and (4) Ms. Kerri Thelen. Tentatively scheduled
for February 24th, the Avon Town Council will conduct interviews with each applicant, vote and
appoint members to the CASE Committee. The Council also appoints members of Council to
serve on other committees in an Ex-Officio capacity.
Furthermore, at the first CASE Committee meeting after Council appointments, members shall vote
for a Chair and Vice Chair for the year.
2. 2024 CASE COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE: The CASE Committee agreed to
the following meeting schedule and calendar invites will be sent out next week.
a. January 18
b. February 15
c. March 21
d. April 9 – Potential Council / CASE Work Session
e. April 18
970-748-4065 ddempsey@avon.org
f. May 16 – Two-hour meeting g. June 20
h. August 15
i. Sept. 19
j. October 17
k. October 22 – Potential Council / CASE Work Session
l. November 21
m. December 19
3. RESEARCH CULTURAL PLANS: As identified in the 2024 Department Goals for Staff, Research
Cultural Plans: Gather cultural plans and information from peer communities, conduct networking
and site visits. Facilitate discussions with CASE regarding what is appropriate and feasible for
Avon without creating redundancy with current cultural offerings in the Vail Valley.
Therefore, Staff developed a list of seven (7) communities and suggested timetable for members of
CASE and/or Staff to tour, research, gather information, imagines, etc., see Table 1 below. Staff
will begin contacting these organizations, scheduling meetings and tours and gathering related
cultural plans. It is likely that we will not visit all seven and this task will flow into 2025. Additionally,
likely we are likely to visit two communities on the same excursion (i.e., Buena Vista and Salida
and Silverthorne and Breckenridge).
Also, as we begin this process and to get our collective creative juices flowing, I provided the Town
of Silverthorne Art & Culture Strategic Plan as ATTACHMENT A for your review. This is one of
many we will be examining as we explore the potential for Avon's cultural and arts future.
Table 1
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Town of Silverthorne Arts & Culture Strategic Plan
Thank you, Danita
Trips /
# Of Location / Links Time of Year Reason for Visit
1 City of Salida / Creative District Spring 2024 | March, April CO Creative District
1 Town of Buena Vista / Historic Preservation Spring 2024 | March, April Historic Preservation Commission
2 City of Pueblo May 9 - 10, 2024 CO Creative District | CCI Summit
3 Town of Carbondale / Public Arts Commisison Summer 2024 | Late May, Early June CO Creative District | Public Arts Commission
4 Breck Create / Creative District Summer 2024 | Mid-Late August CO Creative District | BIFA (Aug. 16-25, 2024)
4 Town of Silverthorne Summer 2024 |Mid-Late August Tour ArtSpot, programming research
5 Steamboat Springs | Creative District Fall 2024 CO Creative District | Grants & Special Projects
City of Durango | Creative District Fall 2024 | Spring of 2025 CO Creative District
Town of Grand Lake | Creative District Fall 2024 | Spring of 2025 CO Creative District
City of Ridgway | Creative District Fall 2024 | Spring of 2025 CO Creative District | FUSE Creative Main Street
Freemont Center for the Arts TBD
City of Parker / Parker Arts (PACE)TBD
Research: Culture, Arts & Heritage
2024 CASE Travel & Research Schedule
I Silverthorne
Arts & Culture Strategic Plan
January 2016
ATTACHMENT A
A SPECIAL THANKS
image: Vector Graphics
Silverthorne’s Arts and Culture Strategic Plan
would not have been possible without the guidance of the Silverthorne Arts & Culture
Advisory Group – those we affectionately called
the ARTvocates – who helped to shepherd this inaugural report. We are grateful for their
thoughtfulness and their diligence in representing
the Silverthorne community.
The plan belongs to the ARTvocates and to
those who participated in other ways – attending public events and coffees to share their wisdom.
Among those who helped include Silverthorne
residents, every 4th grader in Summit County, the business community, local artists and
creatives, Breck Create, the Town of Salida, the
City and County of Denver, and many more.
All those who provided input will see their
fingerprints on this plan, and the plan is better for their handiwork.
Arts & Culture Advisory Group
Anthony Benz
Outlets at Silverthorne
Terry Craig
Summit School Board
Tamara Drangstviet
Family and Intercultural Resource Center
Nick Dua
Keystone Symposia
Brian Edney
Economic Development Advisory Committee
Joanne Hanson
Summit County Arts Council
Peg Henry
Lake Dillon Theater Company
Harriet Hoffman
Summit Middle School
Joanne Hopkins
South Maryland Creek Ranch
Suzanne Lanuza
Alpenglow Chamber Music Festival
Judi LaPoint
Summit Chamber of Commerce
Sandie Mather
Summit Historical Society
Rhonda Pederson
Silverthorne Public Art Committee
Kasey Provorse
The Summit Foundation
Kelly Renoux
Copper Mountain and LDTC performer
Len Rhodes
Summit Music and Arts
Isabel Rodriguez
Dillion Valley Elementary and Folklorico Group
Stephanie Sadler
Bakers Brewery
Kathy Swanson
SPORT Committee
Ned Walley
Colorado Real Estate Company
Nell Wareham
Climax Molybdenum
Erin Young
Red Buffalo Coffee
Town of Silverthorne
Ann-Marie Sandquist
Mayor Pro-Tem
Russ Camp
Town Council
JoAnne Nadalin
Town Council
Ryan Hyland
Town Manager
Mark Leidal
Assistant Town Manager
Joanne Cook
Recreation and Culture Director
Bill Linfield
Public Works Director
Donna Braun
Finance Director
Blair McGary
Pavilion and Marketing Coordinator
The 23.4 Degrees Team
Janesse Brewer
Principal
Mike Hughes
Planning Specialist
Jessica Williams
Economic Analyst
Giovanna Voge
Interpreter and Translator
Amber Brummer
Project Coordinator
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I Silverthorne
PREFACE – PLANNING PROCESS iii
INTRODUCTION 1
VISION 2
MISSION 3
GOALS 6
GOALS AT-A-GLANCE 10
ECONOMIC IMPACT 11
GAPS/INVENTORY 15
A CASE STUDY: STARTING NOW 17
APPENDICES:
IDEAS FOR SILVERTHORNE 19
ART COMMITTEE CHARTER (PROPOSED) 23
SUMMARY OF ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS PLAN 26
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Placemaking
There are many ways to write a plan. Placemaking is an approach to planning that starts with the idea that a neighbor, a park, a street, or a whole town can be transformed through the arts, culture, history and creativity as the community comes together to express and experience what connects them to their place. A placemaking process was the right one for this plan because the Town of Silverthorne is focused intently on creating a sense of place – a central theme in all of the existing town plans. The Town approached this project in hope that arts and culture will instill a sense of place, create vibrancy, stimulate the local economy and connect us to one another. Placemaking is about tapping into what members of the community love (and can imagine) about the place where they live. A placemaking approach creates a vision for arts and culture that leverages existing arts and cultural resources and planned projects (including the Lake Dillon Theatre Company’s new home) and extends these into the future. It translates the vision into a plan and program of uses, events, and ideas to create a flexible implementation strategy.
Community Leadership
At the heart of the planning process was the Planning Committee - ARTvocates – a diverse group of community representatives whose values, aspirations, knowledge and skill gave the plan its shape and direction. The planning team, including the ARTvocates, worked to align the arts and culture plan with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, POST Plan, Town
Council’s goals and Economic Development Advisory Committee’s (EDAC) goals and to capitalize on the planning processes for the new theatre and the downtown. They worked to articulate a coherent and compelling vision, establish a sense of mission that will inspire arts and cultural events and activities, and outline a set of goals and implementing strategies that will ensure that Silverthorne will realize the vision.
Community Engagement
In addition to ARTvocates meetings, the planning process extended into the wider community with bilingual outreach, artists coffees, and two public meetings. In both public meetings, in an informal and interactive setting, the community participants had the opportunity to review draft plan language, explore the link between the arts and culture plan and the other town plans, and offer their perspectives on the future of arts and culture in Silverthorne. All of the outreach efforts relied heavily on visual images, examples from other places, stories, and informal conversation in hopes that the planning process would be accessible, immediate, and visceral.
Demonstrating that the Arts can be Immediate and Accessible
To engage the community in the arts during the planning process, the Town of Silverthorne staff built and displayed the Silverthorne version of Candy Chang’s international art experience “Before I Die…”. The movable walls allow members of the community to participate with those around the world in recognizing that life is fragile and our time short and in expressing in writing the things they hope to accomplish before
they die. The thought-provoking art installation generated both very serious and very light-hearted responses. The staff documented the hundreds of responses as they moved the piece to different places and different audiences.
Best Practices
The planning process was grounded in an understanding of the best practices of vibrant communities that have succeeded in making arts and culture driving forces in their communities. The plan benefited from those in Colorado that have already achieved Colorado Creative District designation, something that Silverthorne aspires to. The plan also looks to the other communities in Summit County in recognition that there is real synergy and shared benefit if Silverthorne works with and plans in conjunction with Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon and Summit County.
Planning Process Conclusion
The goal of the plan is to set the course for long-term investment in arts and culture that will build a sense of community and fuel economic growth and to springboard near-term actions that will demonstrate immediately that Silverthorne is a community that embraces the arts, respects its heritage and shares the cultures of its diverse population.
PREFACE – PLANNING PROCESS
iii
I Silverthorne
A Place to Begin
Silverthorne’s first arts and culture plan must
begin with our comprehensive plan and our
shared vision. As our comprehensive plan
states, our town is a vibrant mountain community.
Arts and culture will support the comprehensive
plan goals – enhance our sense of place, help
to create a walkable downtown, build on our
abundant recreational resources, complement
high quality architecture and design and
contribute to a healthy economic expansion.
What an Arts & Culture Plan Should Make Possible
The Silverthorne Arts and Culture Plan seeks to
open the door to the widest possible interpretation
of culture and of cultural events. Embracing
the three definitions you see on the right side
of this page gives Silverthorne the freedom
to create opportunities for the community to
come together for artistic, scientific, political,
social, gastronomic, legal, religious, historic,
recreational and philosophical purposes. The
activities made possible by implementation of
this plan will be the formal and the spontaneous,
highbrow and down-home, heart breaking and
sidesplitting.
The elements of our cultural heritage, such as our
art, music, history, traditions, values, folkways,
and beliefs, are everywhere. How we talk, what
we eat, how we spend our free time, and what
we believe about the most important topics of
our time provide insights into our history and our
culture.
We will create a place where those who live, work,
and play in Silverthorne have the opportunity to
build a shared culture together.
Culture is…
…that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom,
and any other capabilities and habits
acquired… as a member of society
– Edward Tylor
…the cumulative deposit of knowledge,
experience, beliefs, values, attitudes,
meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions
of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts
of the universe, and material objects and
possessions acquired by a group of people
in the course of generations through
individual and group striving
– Geert Hofstede
…the deeper level of basic assumptions
and beliefs that are shared by members of
an organization, that operate unconsciously
and define in a basic ‘taken for granted’
fashion an organization’s view of its self and
its environment
– Edgar Schein
1
INTRODUCTION – ARTS AND CULTURE
photo: hahamag.com
In the future, residents and visitors of all ages, from around the region and around the world, will
experience Silverthorne in vastly new ways; they will also experience the Town precisely as we
experience it now – relaxed, welcoming, open, accessible, diverse, affordable and breathtakingly
beautiful. We can see a day when the Town of Silverthorne is as well known for arts and cultural
events as it is for its recreational possibilities. Our town will provide opportunities for the extended
community to come together to share common and diverse histories, traditions, and customs as
well as enjoy permanent, temporary, and spontaneous expressions of art and culture.
image: Sven Roumen
“We are imagining a future where Silverthorne’s musical performances, theatrical offerings, lectures, celebrations, artist endeavors, and historical exhibits will define the town in equal measure with parks, trails, open space, and recreation.” – Ryan Hyland, Town Manager
2
VISION
I Silverthorne
This plan contains the first steps toward our vision. In these pages – and
in implementing the strategies the reader will see here – Silverthorne is
setting a course for the future. We are committed to these things:
I. We will create opportunities to build community and connection
through cultural and artistic events that demonstrate in compelling ways
that Silverthorne welcomes participants of every age; people from every
place, language and history; and both new arrivals and long-standing
residents. Events will celebrate our shared heritage and our individual
experiences. We will include everyone – those of different economic
means, of different traditions and ways of living, of different experiences,
histories and values, and of different ways of expressing their artistic
vision and their cultural history.
II. We will transform the downtown into a walkable, welcoming,
active place. Silverthorne’s residents and visitors will come downtown
to meet one another for quiet conversation, active entertainment and
educational experiences. The downtown will give entrepreneurs, artists,
entertainers, cultural and historical organizations, and arts organizations
the opportunity to find their audiences. We will connect downtown to the
cultural complex, the river and the whole community.
3
MISSION
photo: Ruth Hartnup
photo: Studiozedd
III. We will make the theatre, the Pavilion, the green space and
plazas around the theatre and the bridges across the Blue River important
areas for community gatherings. This will be a place for all parts of the
community to come together for planned artistic, cultural and heritage
festivals, performances, celebrations, and exhibitions. It will be an informal
gathering place to experience a public art installation, learn about the
past, sit by a fireside and listen to the river, or meet other members of our
community. The complex will be the primary place for artistic expression.
IV. We will link the Blue River to the theatre and to the downtown in
creative and interactive ways. We will draw residents and visitors to the
river that is central to our identity and a defining element of our shared
traditions, heritage and values.
4
photo: LDTC
photo: MTA
I Silverthorne5
photo: Glenn Harper
The following strategic goals have been
developed to advance the vision and mission
articulated by the community and the Town of
Silverthorne leadership.
Creating a Platform for Success – Leadership and Resource Allocation
1. The Town will define and allocate
appropriate staffing resources to enable
implementation of the Arts and Culture Strategic
Plan and establish protocols for decision-
making and community involvement. Decision-
making protocols will establish consultative
lines of communication between Planning,
Public Works, and the Recreation and Culture
Town departments to ensure that the arts are
considered and more fully integrated into all
aspects of the Town’s work.
2. The Town will allocate appropriate
funding to implement the Arts and Culture
Strategic Plan goals through the General
Fund. The Town staff will research additional
sources of funding and will present them to
the Town Council for consideration. For those
that the Council supports, the staff will seek the
additional funds to support plan implementation
and augment the Town’s direct funding.
3. The Town will establish the Arts and
Culture Advisory Committee. The Committee
will assist the Town in implementing the Arts and
Culture Strategic Plan goals. The Town staff
will create and develop bylaws for the Arts and
Culture Advisory Committee for Town Council’s
approval.
4. The Town will establish a collegial
presence and network at the state level through
Colorado Creative Industries and with other
municipalities Silverthorne admires or can
imagine creating partnerships or affiliations with
in the future. The Town staff will seek an annual
opportunity to highlight Silverthorne’s progress
with other peers in Colorado.
Creating Intentional Spaces that are Enhanced by Arts & Culture – Placemaking
5. Silverthorne staff will propose appropriate
amendments to the Town Code that encourage
incorporation of arts, culture, and creativity in
new and existing developments. Particular
emphasis will be given to projects in the
downtown. Elements that may be considered
include, but are not limited to, street width,
parking, crosswalks, lighting, landscaping, street
furniture, and signage. Amendments should
encourage the development of spaces, such
as live-work studios, art galleries, arts, culture
and heritage displays, and areas that encourage
public gathering.
6. The Town staff will create a master
plan that encompasses the cultural complex
outdoor amenities, the Highway 9 and 4th
Street intersection, and the festival bridge, from
downtown to the Blue River. This master plan
will prioritize initial arts and culture investments
in this area.
7. The Town of Silverthorne will encourage
its first live-work development to the downtown.
The Town will encourage private sector
developers to consider at least one residential
unit in the same building as, or very close
proximity to, the workspace. The workspace
GOALS THAT ADVANCE THE VISION AND MISSION
6
I Silverthorne
will facilitate uses such as gallery space, work
studio, not-for-profit offices for arts or cultural
organizations, classrooms or performance
space.
Establishing a Presence – Arts & Culture Programming
8. Through strategic marketing efforts, the
Town will enhance the visibility and awareness
of arts, culture and heritage in Silverthorne. The
staff will create publications, announcements,
and information releases, either through
electronic or other means, to invite and
encourage residents and visitors to participate
in the arts and cultural activities.
9. The Town will collaborate with the Lake
Dillon Theatre Company to ensure that services,
programs, and events of both the LDTC and the
Town complement and support each other. The
partnership will assist both organizations in fully
realizing their own goals, as well as creating a new
initiative to provide arts and culture opportunities
to the whole community. The partnership will
include programming of shared spaces (Theatre,
Pavilion, and Cultural Complex), joint marketing
efforts, complementary themes/messaging, and
more.
10. With support from the Arts and Culture
Advisory Committee, the Town will create an
events and activities schedule. Annually, the
Town will initiate, or work with an arts organization
to initiate one signature, participatory art project
(along the lines of the Candy Chang project
that accompanied the planning process) so that
Silverthorne residents and visitors can join in the
creative process. The schedule will also include
at least four additional arts/cultural events or
activities. At least one of the events or activities
will have a direct connection to the Blue River.
IMAGE: Rendering of the Festival Bridge
7
photo: Morty
11. The Town will organize a grand opening
celebration for the Theatre and Cultural
Complex that conveys the message that the
Town values arts and culture and is committed
to providing high-quality, diverse, and accessible
experiences for residents and visitors.
12. The Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
will advise on the selection and installation
approach for the inaugural mural art on the west
elevation of the Theatre.
Positioning for Future Growth
13. With support from the Arts and Culture
Advisory Committee, Town staff will take the
steps necessary to fulfill the application criteria
for the Colorado Creative District designation
for the Cultural Complex during the 2017/2018
candidate cycle.
14. Town staff will organize an annual State
of the Arts Plan meeting with the Advisory Group
members and engage the community in a
discussion of the State of the Arts. The staff will
use the occasion of the State of the Arts Plan to
meet with Town Council and review progress in
plan implementation.
15. The Town will update the Arts and Culture
Strategic Plan in five years.
8
Multi-Cultural & Diverse
Welcoming, Relaxed & Natural
Creative & Progressive
Playful & Colorful
Adventurous & Energized
“Through community sessions we’ve distilled a real sense of Silverthorne’s
emerging identity, including their aspirations for a vibrant downtown.”
– Janesse Brewer, 23.4 Degrees
G1a.Establish appropriate staffing resources
G13.Submit an application for the Colorado
Creative District designation
G12.Select & Install a mural on the west
elevation of the Theatre
G1b.Establish protocols for decision-making
and community involvement
G2a.Secure funding through General Fund
G2b.Research & pursue Town Council-
supported funding streams to augment General
Fund allocations
G3.Establish the Arts and Culture Advisory
Committee
G4.Participate in Colorado Creative Industries
& targeted networking with other municipalities
G5.Propose amendments to the Town Code
that encourage incorporation of arts, culture,
and creativity in new and existing
developments
G6.Create a master plan for Silverthorne’s
downtown
G7.Encourage Silverthorne’s first live-work
space for artists
G8.Enhance the visibility of arts & culture in
Silverthorne for residents & visitors
G9.Develop & demonstrate a collaborative
culture between LDTC & TOS through
programming, joint marketing,
and messaging
G10.Create an Events & Activities calendar,
to include at least one annual participatory art
project, one signature event, four additional
events/activities
G11.Organize a grand opening celebration for
the Theatre & Cultural Complex
G14.Organize an annual “State of the Arts”
session with the 2015 Advisory Group
members & use as a platform to share annual
progress with Town Council
G15.Update the Arts & Culture Strategic Plan
in five years
GOALS AT-A-GLANCE
Q2 2016 Q4 2016
Q2 2016 Q3 2017
Annual Annual
Annual
2017-2018
Q1 2017
Q1 2017
Q2 2016 Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
Annual
2021
Creating a Platform for Success -- Leadership & Resource Allocation
Creating Intentional Spaces that are Enhanced by Arts & Culture -- Placemaking
Establishing a Presence -- Arts & Culture Programming
Positioning for Future Growth
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I Silverthorne
A national perspective and an examination of
other Colorado towns can help to illuminate
the potential economic benefit to the Town of
Silverthorne from investment in arts and culture.
Local Impetus
Before turning to the national and state
comparisons, it is worth noting that much of
the impetus for the inaugural arts and culture
strategic plan came from EDAC, Silverthorne’s
Economic Development Advisory Committee.
They recognized – rightly – that by embracing
the diversity of the community’s history and
culture and offering great entertainment and a
vibrant arts and cultural sector, Silverthorne will
also thrive economically.
National Perspective
Cultural activities and the arts are widely known
to be important economic drivers. They fuel
economic growth, create and sustain jobs,
and support local tourism. Arts and culture are
resilient, showing strength during economic
downturns and prospering during economic
upturns.
Nationwide, America’s non-profit art industry
generates $135 billion in economic activity
annually ($61 billion in nonprofit arts and culture
organizations and $74 billion from event-related
expenditures by their audiences). That level
of spending supports more than 4 million full-
time equivalent jobs, generates $87 billion in
household income, and produces $22 billion in
revenue to local, state, and federal government.1
Those who enjoy a night at the theatre or visit
an arts district also spend money on meals and
transportation, and make other purchases.2
Colorado Comparison
Arts & Economic Prosperity IV3 is a 2012 report
covering 182 regions. Looking at four regions
in Colorado with active tourism industries – the
City of Durango, Gunnison County, the Town of
Crested Butte, and the Town of Telluride – gives
Silverthorne a sense for what’s possible. The
table to the right shows the population, spending,
and economic impact in the four study areas,
as well as the national average, in 2010 dollars
(the source data came from the 2010 Census).
The data were translated to a per capita value,
applied to the population of Silverthorne and
inflated to 2015 dollars.
1 Source: Americans for the Arts. Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study. 2012. 2 Source: http://www.westerncity.com/Western-City/May-2013/How-the-Arts/. Accessed in November 2015. 3 The “Arts & Economic Prosperity IV” is a large, comprehensive, and widely accepted study that encompassed 139 cities and counties, 31 multiple city regions, 10 states, and 2 art districts. It provided detailed economic data collected from over 9,700 arts and culture organizations and more than 151,000 of their attendees. The most recent study at the time this report was written was the IV study, which was completed in 2012 and was based upon data from the 2010 U.S. Census.
11
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The table below shows realistic possibilities for economic benefit to Silverthorne resulting from non-profit arts and culture with three
comparative calculations for Crested Butte (closest to Silverthorne in population), the 4-study area, and national averages.
Comparative Assessment of Economic Impact for Silverthorne Arts & Culture Economic Impact of Industry Spending
Population Spending by the
Non-Profit Arts &
Culture Organizations
Spending by the
Non-Profit Arts &
Culture Audiences
Total Spending by
the Non-Profit Arts
& Culture Industry
Full-Time
Equivalent
Jobs
Resident
Household Income
Generated
Local Government
Revenue
Generated
State
Government
Revenue
Generated
Study Region (2010$)
City of Durango, CO 16,416 $5,832,804 $3,220,322 $9,053,126 309 $6,495,000 $420,000 $225,000
Gunnison County, CO 15,350 $3,434,707 $3,529,973 $6,964,680 171 $3,584,000 $297,000 $166,000
Town of Crested Butte, CO 5,461 $3,132,032 $3,350,716 $6,482,748 159 $3,287,000 $281,000 $155,000
Town of Telluride, CO 2,361 $16,611,397 $20,797,981 $37,409,378 977 $22,477,000 $1,825,000 $754,000
National Average 913,858 $114,280,810 $87,036,942 $201,317,751 5,896 $145,351,170 $10,197,286 $10,917,192
Town of Silverthorne 4,010
Per Capita Value (2010$)
City of Durango, CO $355 $196 $551 2%$396 $26 $14
Gunnison County, CO $224 $230 $454 1%$233 $19 $11
Town of Crested Butte, CO $574 $614 $1,187 3%$602 $51 $28
Town of Telluride, CO $7,036 $8,809 $15,845 41%$9,520 $773 $319
4 Study Area Per Capita
Average
$2,047 $2,462 $4,509 12%$2,688 $217 $93
Nationwide $125 $95 $220 1%$159 $11 $12
Extrapolation for Town of Silverthorne Based on Per Capita of Comparative Average (2015$)
Based on Town of Crested
Butte
$2,506,830 $2,681,861 $5,188,691 127 $2,630,864 $224,908 $124,060
Based on 4 Study Area $8,947,609 $10,761,897 $19,709,506 517 $11,748,060 $949,979 $406,778
Based on National Average $546,595 $416,290 $962,885 28 $695,502 $48,773 $52,216
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I Silverthorne
Setting Expectations: Summarizing Economic Impacts for Silverthorne
The Town of Silverthorne’s expenditures for the construction of the theatre, marketing, participatory art projects
and community cultural events are expected to generate revenues to local organizations and businesses
that include admission fees and tickets, food and beverage purchases, souvenirs, gifts, recordings, art,
local transportation, childcare, and overnight accommodations. In addition to the direct revenues, the local
businesses are expected to also experience indirect (or “downstream”) revenue as money is re-spent in
the community. The economic impacts are expected to include job growth, household income, government
revenues in the form of state and local taxes, licenses, and fees.
To realize these benefits, the Town can make investments in arts and culture through its existing budgeting
process, using general fund revenue for arts and cultural investments. In the alternative, the Town can
identify specific revenue mechanisms – a sales tax for example – with earmarks for its investments in arts
and culture. Creating a tax (and seeking voter approval as required under TABOR) would allow voters to
affirm that they see the benefit of investing in arts and culture. The Town could require that a percentage
of every major public investment include an investment in the arts; many local jurisdictions allocate one
percent of public infrastructure projects to the arts. Though they are limited and competition is significant,
local governments can compete for federal and state grant funding. Access to grant funding is one reason
to seek Colorado Creative District designation. Finally, in order to access foundation grants and individual
contributions, the Town may encourage the formation of a not-for-profit, community arts organization and
work in partnership with the not-for-profit; this allows the Town to benefit from the full range of private and
public arts funding.
Strategic investments in arts and culture have produced economic benefit for communities in Colorado and
across the country; the same should be true for the Town of Silverthorne.
The Town of Silverthorne has taken the right first step – a plan that will direct public investment in arts and culture, help give shape and focus to private and not-for-profit arts activities and move the whole community toward a vibrant future.– Kent Rice, Arts & Venues Denver
As Chairman of the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, I visited almost every city and town in the state. There is a visible difference in places with an active cultural community. I see people looking for places to park, stores staying open late, and restaurants packed with customers. The business day is extended and the cash registers are ringing.– Ken Fergeson, Chairman & CEO, NBanC & Past President, American Bankers Association
Not only do the arts provide a much needed social escape for many in our communities—they also help drive local economies. – Bart Peterson, Mayor of Indianapolis, IN President, National League of Cities
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In the development of this strategic plan,
it has become clear that it is impossible to
separate Silverthorne’s emerging identity in
arts and culture from the “places” that will be
created when the downtown is fully realized.
Silverthorne residents are hungry for places to
gather and linger and arts and culture will play
a critical role in drawing people to a warm and
welcoming downtown.
It is useful to inventory the plan’s goals in light of
the Town of Silverthorne’s placemaking efforts
to date. To do that, we use “The 20 Ingredients
of an Outstanding Destination.” Roger Brooks
International surveyed more than 400 successful
downtowns (big and small) and found they each
had some common ingredients outlined to the
right. Relevant to Silverthorne’s “residents first”
approach, Roger Brooks International states
“If you don’t hang out in your own downtown,
neither will visitors. Visitors go where residents
go.”5 Thus, getting it right for Silverthorne’s
residents will have the added benefit of attracting
others to your downtown as well.
5 http://www.rogerbrooksinternational.com/20_Ingredients_Handout.pdf
In its effort to be a great destination, the Town
of Silverthorne begins with extraordinary
advantages:
• A stunning location
• Community members who care about the Town
and are committed to its future
• Great access to visitors
• The new theater and the opportunity to make
the area around the theatre a centerpiece for
redevelopment and for arts and culture
• A richly diverse community of artists, creatives,
artisans, historians, and of those who want to
make arts and culture part of their lives and of
the place they call home
• A diverse community that celebrates different
histories, languages, traditions, ethnic
backgrounds and artistic expressions and that
is creating a shared sense of community and
culture
The Town also enjoys the advantage of
extraordinary potential. As the table to the
right demonstrates – Silverthorne is poised for
positive change, has laid the groundwork and is
ready to take the steps necessary to realize its
vision for arts and culture.
GAPS & INVENTORY
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photo: LDTC
Ingredients of an Outstanding Destination An Idea to Pursue In Progress It’s a Reality What Plan(s) it links to
1 Begin with a plan: Development, marketing/branding X X ARTS, MKTG
2 Strong brand & retail focus: Brands should be experientially based X X COMP
3 Orchestrate recruitment of critical mass & clustering: Food, retail,
and evening hours
X COMP, URA
4 Anchor Tenants: At least two destination offerings X URA
5 Leases define operating hour: Most businesses open after 6pm X X MKTG
6 People live & stay downtown: Residential drives retail X X X COMP, URA
7 Pioneers with patient money: A few champion investors X X EDAC
8 Start with one or two blocks: Concentrated effort for big impact fast X ARTS, COMP, URA
9 Solve the parking dilemma: Accessible and reasonable X X URA, COMP
10 Public washrooms: Restrooms in the spending district X X POST, COMP
11 Gathering places: Places & reasons for people to linger & cluster X X X ARTS, POST, COMP
12 Good 1st impressions: Identity-driven signage X URA, POST, COMP
13 Design & install wayfinding:
Identity-driven wayfinding
X X X ARTS, POST
14 Create a “sense of place” downtown:
Identity-driven sense of arrival
X ARTS, POST, COMP
15 Sign rules & regulations: Blade signs and supporting sign guidance X X COMP
16 Sidewalk cafes & intimate surroundings:
Narrower streets, wider sidewalks, & cafes
X X ARTS, COMP
17 Invest in retail beautification: Extension of window displays to the
exterior spaces, soften transitions
X X X ARTS, COMP, URA,
EDAC
18 Provide activities & entertainment:
Open air markets, music, & activities
X X X ARTS
19 Name the downtown district: Conveys a destination versus a place X X ARTS, COMP
20 Focus on experience: Articulate feelings & activities to be
experienced, not infrastructure
X X X ARTS
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I Silverthorne
It is rare to have plan implementation begin
before a plan is adopted, but this planning
process gave the ARTvocates, the staff and
the Town Council an opportunity to see just
how much a work of art can do to energize the
planning process and give the whole community
a sense of the possibilities that lie ahead.
With an investment of only $400 and a
commitment from Silverthorne’s Recreation and
Culture Department to build and manage it, the
Town of Silverthorne became a part of Candy
Chang’s international art installation, “Before
I Die.” The website beforeidie.cc describes
Before I Die this way: “Before I Die is a global
art project that invites people to reflect on their
lives and share their personal aspirations in
public space. This project was started by Candy
Chang on an abandoned house in New Orleans
after she lost someone she loved.”
Candy used chalkboard paint on the abandoned
house in her neighborhood to create a place
where anyone who walked by could pick up
a piece of chalk and complete the sentence,
“Before I die I want to…”. The wall was filled
in the first day and her community continued to
add more and more. While she was reminding
those around her that life is brief and that we
have to pursue our dreams, those around her
confirmed that, even in her grief, she is not
alone. Silverthorne is now one of more than
a thousand communities in more than seventy
countries that have replicated Before I Die.
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“BEFORE I DIE I WANT TO...”
The Silverthorne team took the Before I Die
walls in Spanish and English to five different
locations around the Town, including the
community meetings that were a part of this
planning process. Silverthorne experienced
what Candy Chang experienced – the walls
filled quickly every time. The staff documented
the responses, erased the walls, and they
filled again. The piece generated hundreds of
responses and untold conversation as families,
friends and those who simply found themselves
there together talked about their own answers
and those from others.
As the planning process and the plan were
unfolding, hundreds of people became part
of the art, contemplating their deeply held
aspirations and sharing their hopes, fears and
dreams with one another. The extraordinary
success of Before I Die in Silverthorne served
as an immediate confirmation that Silverthorne
community members are committed to making
arts and culture part of their lives and part of
the community. It demonstrated boldly that
everyone can participate in great works of art
and can use them to create connections with
their neighbors.
A CASE STUDY: SILVERTHORNE’S 1ST PARTICIPATORY ART PROJECT
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A message from the 23.4 Degrees Team:
Because we’ve come to know you, we offer
these ideas for your consideration. Some of the
ideas can be implemented tomorrow. Others will
take time and can be tucked away for the future,
or used as inspiration to explore what else could
be a natural extension of what is authentically
Silverthorne.
Arts and cultural investments signal something
about a community’s values and the theatre is
a prominent signal and first step. Events and
temporary installations can help Silverthorne
experiment with Silverthorne’s emerging arts and
cultural identity. Variations on all of these ideas
have been tested and successfully developed
in other communities; the question is what’s
the highest expression of who Silverthorne is
and who you want to be collectively? We say
pilot some projects that feel consistent with
your identity because as Dorothy Parker said,
“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.”
Silverthorne should leverage its existing
foundation of arts and culture programming
for future events. Pumpkin Fest, Celebrations
Around the World, and the Holiday Bazaar
provide a solid foundation and give the Town the
opportunity to build on events that are already
popular. We know this works because Pumpkin
Fest and Celebrations Around the World were
perfect opportunities to feature the Before I Die
project.
The Silverthorne Recreation Center, Pavilion
and Public Library regularly feature cultural
events, including cooking classes, dance
classes and clubs, art classes, storytelling,
music and comedy programs. Continuing this
kind of programming and building on the events
in these three public locations is an essential
part of implementing this plan.
When selecting a few potential ideas for your
consideration, we kept in mind some core values
that emerged from the planning process. We
have recommended ideas that meet several of
the attributes listed below:
• Participatory = Participatory effort that has the
potential to engage the community
• Community = Builds and promotes community
gathering
• Diversity = Celebrates multi-culturalism and
diversity
• Downtown = Helps inform the development of
Silverthorne’s downtown
• Assets = Leverages Town assets such as the
Theatre and Pavilion
• River = Links to, or highlights the Blue River
PARTICIPATORY ART IDEA
Continuing to produce projects like Before I Die
will keep the momentum of this planning process
going and demonstrate in very visible ways that
Silverthorne is truly committed to becoming
a place for the arts and a place where every
resident is part of the creative process.
Paint-by-Numbers Mural
Participatory, Community, Diversity
Community-scale paint-by-number murals send
the message that everyone can contribute to
something artistic and that by combining their
talents, a whole community can make something
beautiful. Professional artists can design paint-
by-numbers murals and the whole community
has the opportunity to participate in the effort
and work with the professional artist. Through
the large scale mural, individual community
members become part of a team and work
together to make art.
APPENDIX A – IDEAS FOR SILVERTHORNE’S CONSIDERATION
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20
Things You Will Do Anyway – But with an Intentional Art Focus
There are simple ways to indicate that
Silverthorne is changing and that those
changes are connected to arts and culture.
Many of these items fall into the category
of things the Town is likely to engage in, but
now it will be with the intention of signaling
that “art lives here” in Silverthorne’s
downtown. This can include painting a
crosswalk, decorating above-ground
utility boxes, painting trash dumpsters,
planters, light posts and street furniture. It
is important to focus these quick and easy
beautification efforts in areas or along
corridors that are connected to arts and
cultural districts.
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PLACEMAKING IDEAS
These are temporary installation concepts that
we think could be right as Silverthorne continues
to seek input on what its residents want and
hope for in their downtown. In both cases, it lets
Silverthorne actually experience what a future
downtown may be or how the redevelopment of
vacant building could further contribute toward
Silverthorne’s developing arts and culture
identity.
Made Here
Participatory, Community, Diversity, Downtown
Made Here is a Minneapolis not-for-profit that
turned empty storefronts into places for local
artists to show their work. By bringing art to
vacant buildings, Made Here changed the
economics of the University Avenue corridor in
measurable ways. Since their first art walk, they
have used art to propel redevelopment, reduce
vacancy in commercial areas, make once empty
and underused areas safe, and made lifeless
areas exciting.
Made Here describes their work this way: “Made
Here is Downtown’s Urban Walking Gallery in
the Minneapolis Cultural District showcasing
creativity from across Minnesota by temporarily
filling empty storefronts or commercial spaces
with the work of Minnesota artists and locally
based artisan companies.”
http://www.madeheremn.org
Build-a-Better Block – Silverthorne
Participatory, Community, Diversity, Downtown
Build a better block is an organization and
movement that focuses on demonstrating what a
vibrant street block could look like. It focuses on
“doing” and “creating” over a day or weekend. In
a matter of days, street blocks are re-developed
into vibrant places for biking, commerce,
gathering, lighting, landscaping, venues for art,
music, and culinary experiences. It pulls on
the concept of “pop-up” galleries, cafes, and
shops. With a few weeks planning, the Town
of Silverthorne, in coordination with Silverthorne
stakeholders and community members could
“build” a temporary downtown that incorporates
all of the spaces and places residents want to
imagine for their future downtown and tests
how residents interact with pop-up spaces and
places. These exercises would further inform
long-range and strategic planning efforts. Build
a Better Block has been written up in the New
York Times, Washington Times, and GOOD
magazine. Explanatory video links and more
information about these efforts can be found at:
http://teambetterblock.com/
SIGNATURE EVENT IDEAS
Next are a few potential “signature” events or
concepts Silverthorne might be the perfect Town
to pursue.
Silverthorne Storytelling Festival
Participatory, Community, Diversity, Downtown,
Assets, River
The largest storytelling Festival in the country is
in Jonesboro, TN and it has been ranked as one
of the top 100 events to attend in the country.
It had humble beginnings with a few hay bales
and campfires and some people willing to share
their stories. It now attracts award-winning
storytellers (yes, there really is such a profession)
with a series of circus tents and campfire circles
covering topics such as: the questionable joys
of getting old, Native American stories, ghost
stories, family dysfunction and lies, love and
resilience, epic adventures, folklore, tall tales,
and many others. In addition to being out
and out entertained, there are also storytelling
workshops for aspiring bards and story corners
specifically for kids. The best news? Storytelling
is enjoying a huge renaissance with podcasts,
NPR’s story core, and a number of other outlets.
Even better? There’s really not a storytelling
festival in the West and a grassy plaza by a
river seems a perfect setting. This could be a
signature event for Silverthorne and seems a
well-positioned complement to Silverthorne’s
downtown crown jewel, The Lake Dillon Theatre
Company. We also can imagine it would be
fun to combine with a local microbrewery event
and to imagine aspects of the event in different
languages.
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Food Truck Festival
Participatory, Community, Diversity
For now, Silverthorne’s image is, in part, linked
to being the gateway exit to Summit County ski
areas as well as the place that “real people”
affordably live and work in the County. We
say, embrace it – let’s be real, but with a hip
twist. Host the first ever Food Truck Festival in
Summit County. Envision a circle of food trucks,
string lights criss-crossing arty Silverthorne
picnic tables, episodic warming fires, and music
pumped into the emerging downtown area.
Food trucks are affordable ways to eat and
enjoy a diversity of different cultural cuisines --
especially convenient while you are waiting for
I-70 to reopen or your sister to return from the
Outlets. Plus it all has the added benefit that
we’ve let people start to enjoy our downtown
before a single building has been erected.
Stompin’ Ground Games
Participatory, Community, Diversity, Assets
A Denver-based not-for-profit, Warm Cookies
for the Revolution, is sponsoring community
events as a way to highlight important public
policy issues. They are highlighting different
neighborhoods with the Stompin’ Ground
Games. They have launched two events. The
first, in the Ruby Hill neighborhood, focused
on transportation problems. The second
in southeast Denver is about history and
storytelling. Their website describes the second
event in this way: “For the second month of the
Stompin’ Ground Games, we’re posting up at
Four Mile Historic Park to celebrate and learn
about the diverse mix of neighborhood history
and current issues in Southeast Denver: places
like Washington-Virginia Vale, Virginia Village,
Hilltop, and more. The theme: Storytelling. We’ll
be featuring a multi-cultural kids Fashion Show
with students from McMeen elementary school,
The Narrators, our poetic scribe Molina Speaks,
art from the Mizel Museum, Picture. Me. Here.
and Kenny Be. Plus, A Little Help, The African
Community Center, Community Language Co-
operative, the Tranist Alliance, and hands-on
activities, cookies and more…” http://www.
warmcookiesoftherevolution.org
Sunsets at the Summit -- Concerts in Rainbow Park
Participatory, Community, Diversity, Assets
We love that this concert series is coming to
Silverthorne and think LDTC and the Town
have some great ideas on how to engage more
of Silverthorne’s residents and guests through
the free outdoor concerts. These concerts
encourage people of any socio-economic
background to gather together to enjoy musical
entertainment in a beautiful setting at Rainbow
Park. The Sunset at the Summit Concert
Series provides free, award-winning music
for local residents and guests and continues
to be the premier destination summer event
for weekends in Summit County. The influx of
people in Summit County during the summer
months supports our local economy, and their
attendance at performing arts events will
enhance Silverthorne’s cultural identity. Through
the Sunset at the Summit Concert Series, The
Town of Silverthorne and the Lake Dillon Theatre
Company are dedicated to serving the residents
and guests in Summit County by building identity
and a sense of community one concert at a time.
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Charter & Protocols
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
This document provides the Arts & Culture
Advisory Committee (ACAC) with draft
guidelines and protocols for its work. The
protocols will serve as the rules of engagement
for the ACAC’s deliberation. The participants are
expected to review the draft in advance of the
first meeting.
BACKGROUND & VISION
The Town of Silverthorne’s Arts and Culture
Strategic Plan outlines this vision:
In the future, residents and visitors of all ages,
from around the region and around the world,
will experience Silverthorne in vastly new ways;
they will also experience the Town precisely as
we experience it now – relaxed, welcoming,
open, accessible, diverse, affordable and
breathtakingly beautiful. We can see a day when
the Town of Silverthorne is as well known for arts
and cultural events as it is for its recreational
possibilities. Our town will provide opportunities
for the extended community to come together to
share common and diverse histories, traditions,
and customs as well as enjoy permanent,
temporary, and spontaneous expressions of art
and culture.
PURPOSE OF THE ACAC
To realize the vision, the Town will work with the
ACAC, seeking advice on these questions:
•What is the appropriate use of public funds for
arts and cultural activities?
•How do we develop arts and culture
programming that is as inclusive and
welcoming as possible?
At the same time, the ACAC should begin to
develop its expertise and setting its direction,
answering questions like these:
•What foundational work of the ACAC will
help to enable sustainable arts and culture
programming in the future?
•Are there areas we wish to learn more about
because they are integral to Silverthorne
having a successful arts and culture strategy?
As a first order of business, the ACAC will focus
on the following:
•Review and discuss the arts and culture plan
•Prioritize the topics and goals from the plan –
looking for those that are most important to the
Town’s success and help to enable future Arts
& Culture activities
As public resources become available for
acquisition, the ACAC should turn its attention
to its role in the public art program:
•Identify, develop, pilot test, and adopt
strategies for commissioning public art in the
Town
Note: Many Towns create an Arts and Culture
Advisory Committee while their municipality is
in its infancy of developing a robust arts and
culture strategy and program. It is a way to
gain valuable feedback and foster collaborative
decision-making about ideas intertwined with the
Town’s identity. As programs mature and grow,
many municipalities choose to move the nexus
for arts and culture strategy and programming
to a non-profit organization. These non-profit
organizations remain closely aligned with the
Town, but have more capacity to grow the
strategies and programs with a dedicated focus.
PARTICIPANTS
The ACAC will bring together creatives,
historians, arts administrators, not-for-profit
managers, business owners, citizens-at-large,
advocates for the role of the arts in the local
economy, advocates for a vibrant town core,
representatives of the diversity of the community
and the diverse cultures that make up the
Town, and more. The ACAC members will be
those who can provide leadership, momentum,
and coordination in implementing the arts and
culture plan. Participants may be engaged as
individuals or associated with private non-profit
organizations, agencies, or other entities that
are involved in arts and culture in the community.
The ACAC seeks to be as inclusive as possible
while maintaining a manageable size of
approximately 7-10 individuals that can give
voice and perspective to the widest range of
stakeholder views.
APPENDIX B – SILVERTHORNE ARTS & CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
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ACAC Membership
• Members are appointed by the Town Council
• While it is important to keep this group at a
functional size, it may be useful to make
changes to the membership of the group from
time to time in order to best address the key
objectives outlined in this document or others
identified by the Arts Council. Members may
suggest additional perspectives that would be
helpful in their work
• The majority of members should reside or work
in the Town of Silverthorne
• Members may resign upon written notice to
The Town of Silverthorne
• The Town Council may remove a person from
the ACAC if the member is unable to fulfill
membership responsibilities
• Terms will be staggered to create continuity
ACAC Responsibilities
•Work to give the Town Council and staff
carefully considered recommendations
•Work together so that the ACAC’s
recommendations reflect the perspective of
all members and is in the best interest of the
community
•Support the objectives of the ACAC
•Stay focused on the agenda
•Although some members are affiliated with
organizations it is presumed that comments
during meetings are not for attribution and
should not be assumed to be an official
organizational position
•Keep constituents, colleagues, and community
members informed about the work of the
ACAC
•Even when the Town doesn’t take the ACAC’s
advice, the members must serve as advocates
for the Town’s efforts in arts and culture and
advocates for the ACAC’s work
•Agree not to attribute statements to other
ACAC members or attempt to speak for the
full ACAC without clear agreement from the
full membership
Work Groups
As needed, the ACAC may develop ad hoc
work groups. These may include members who
are not appointed to the ACAC. The ACAC will
also engage in continued communication and
information sharing with the broader community.
ACAC MEETING PROTOCOLS
Decision Making
The ACAC will provide input, exchange
information and views, and undertake efforts
to promote the arts and culture in the Town.
The ACAC will strive for the highest possible
levels of agreement among all members. ACAC
decisions will be made by consensus to the
extent possible. Consensus means the group
as a whole supports an agreement. Although
an agreement may not necessarily represent
any one member’s ideal resolution, it can be
characterized as a decision that all participants
can live with and do not oppose. If consensus
cannot be reached, the ACAC will outline
majority and minority view for consideration by
the Town Council.
Decision Making Regarding Significant Temporary and Permanent Public Art
The Town of Silverthorne staff, in consultation
with the ACAC should be empowered to make
decisions regarding public art acquisitions under
a set amount, determined by the Town Manager.
However, for the acquisition of more significant
art, there should be a rigorous, transparent
process in which the town develops a specific
request for qualification, carefully examines
the responses, and moves through a series of
proposals (becoming more and more refined at
each step in the process) that provide the detail
necessary for the ACAC review and for the town
to make a final purchase. Examples that the
Town can use to develop its acquisition process
include these:
http://tinyurl.com/pittsburgharts
http://tinyurl.com/forecastpub
http://tinyurl.com/bpspubart
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ACAC Meeting Summaries
Staff to the ACAC will prepare draft summaries
that capture key issues, conclusions, and
agreed-upon next steps. Once final, the meeting
summary will be available to the public.
Stakeholder and Public Input
The ACAC will welcome stakeholder and public
input and will seek to find additional mechanisms
beyond the ACAC meetings to do so.
ACAC Meetings
•There will be approximately four meetings per
year for approximately a half day each.
•Meetings of the ACAC are open to the public
•Opportunities for other participants and
observers to address the ACAC will be
provided at designated times during meetings
•While meeting discussions will generally
be limited to ACAC members, others with
particular expertise may be invited by the
group to participate in specific agenda topic
discussions from time to time as requested by
the group
•Individuals who address the ACAC will be
required to follow specified ground rules:
1.Introduce self
2.Address the agenda topic
3.Stay within the designated time limit
4.Offer input in a positive, constructive
manner
Media
Following the meeting, members are free to
speak about their own views and those of
their organizations. However, members will
not attribute statements to others or attempt to
speak for the entire group.
Periodic Review of the ACAC
After its first two years and periodically thereafter
as determined by The ACAC, the group will
evaluate its work, looking at its accomplishments
and challenges. The final assessment will be
used to determine any necessary modifications
to the structure or purpose of the group.
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Placemaking requires community engagement.
A placemaking planning process puts community
members – those who know what kind of places
they want to create for themselves – at the
center of the plan.
1. Arts & Culture Advisory Group
The planning group, called the ARTvocates, is a
dedicated group of stakeholders who represent
different facets of the community including:
artists and creatives, historians, businesses,
educators, non-profits focused on families,
elected officials, art aficionados, and others.
This group was instrumental in shaping core
elements of the draft strategic plan. The group
explored what it will be like to live, work, and
play in Silverthorne’s emerging downtown.
They embraced the idea that Silverthorne will
be as well known for arts and culture as it is for
its recreation. They developed core elements of
the mission including:
• Using arts and culture as an opportunity to
build community and connection
• Transforming the downtown to a walkable,
welcoming, active environment to allow quiet
conversations, educational experiences, and
active entertainment
• Making the theatre, pavilion, bridges, and
green spaces in the downtown area important
areas for community gathering
• Linking the Blue River to the theatre and
downtown in creative and interactive ways.
2. Communities We Admire
As part of our approach, we asked the
ARTvocates to identify several communities they
admired. Denver, Salida, and Breckenridge,
while all different, have developed their own arts
and culture identities. 23.4 Degrees and the
Town of Silverthorne reached out to leaders in
each of those communities to learn more about
how they developed their identity, who they
engaged, what they considered their greatest
successes, and what they would do differently if
they were starting with a blank canvas. Experts
from these towns were delighted to hear that
Silverthorne was developing an arts and culture
plan with the theatre as the centerpiece. They
urged Silverthorne to focus on questions
pertaining to the Town’s identity, to develop
thoughtful mechanisms for engaging different
sectors in the community and making decisions
about the arts, and to explore the potential for
sustainable funding streams.
3. Creatives and Artists
There was a special recognition that you cannot
have a thriving arts program without knowing
the artists in your community. When this effort
started, only a handful of artists were identified.
Through grassroots networking, the group grew
to more than thirty. Amateurs and professionals
in visual, performing, and wearable art shared
their challenges, hopes, and aspirations for
Silverthorne’s emerging emphasis on the arts
and expressed their hopes for partnerships with
the Town of Silverthorne. The artists discussed
the need for places to create and display work,
the desire to help develop art literacy within the
community, and their interest in working with
the Town in advance of the theatre opening.
The artistic community was mixed on the utility
of having an art supply store in Silverthorne,
whether and how to create affordable housing
to attract young and emerging artists to
Silverthorne, and how artists might want to
organize themselves through a guild or other
network. There was strong support for pursuing
a Colorado Creative District designation to raise
Silverthorne’s arts and culture profile and tap
into valuable resources, as well as exploring
networks such as the Western States Federation
of Artists.
4. Business Community
The idea of developing arts and culture in the
Town originated with the Economic Development
Advisory Committee to the Town of Silverthorne
and the larger business community who see arts
and culture as something that will strengthen and
diversify Silverthorne’s economy. Throughout
this planning process, the business community
has been encouraging the Town to find ways to
leverage the major investment in the theatre.
Investors and developers interested in the
downtown are intersecting with the Town’s arts
and culture planning, recognizing that downtown
development and the arts will be mutually
beneficial and reinforcing.
APPENDIX C – ENGAGEMENT IN SILVERTHORNE’S ARTS & CULTURE PLAN
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5. Young People
While all of our meetings were open to the
public, we took particular care in trying to reach
students. As part of the Celebrations Around the
World event, every 4th grader in Summit County
(around 300 students) took part in a half day
of interactive booths where they learned more
about the cultures and people that make up
their community. As part of this effort, we asked
each 4th grader to engage in an activity where
they were able to show us what types of art
they preferred. In many ways their preferences
were similar to the adults in Summit County with
affinity for colorful and playful art. The students
liked anything that looked like they would be
able to climb on and interact with the art.
6. The Community-at-Large
The backbone of a placemaking approach
is community engagement. This planning
effort took special care to find ways to invite
the community into the process. Through two
engaging and interactive sessions, an Arts
Happy Hour and an Arts Open House which
was combined with an established and beloved
multi-cultural Celebrations Around the World
evening. At these sessions people were able to
engage with 23.4 Degrees and the Town on the
development of Silverthorne’s downtown area,
design and plans for the theatre, and the draft
vision and mission for this arts and culture plan.
In addition, we were able to ask the community
to weigh in on important questions, listed below.
More than 400 people attended the events; their
input follows:
When asked “What should people feel and
experience in Silverthorne’s (soon to be built)
downtown?” the top community answers were
creative, relaxed, playful, diverse, adventurous,
and energized. When asked “What should
Silverthorne’s Arts & Culture identity be?” the top
community answers were multi-cultural, colorful,
natural, welcoming, and progressive.
The most frequent answers to the two questions
come together in ways that give a real sense of
the community’s aspirations:
• Multi-cultural & Diverse
• Welcoming, Relaxed & Natural
• Creative & Progressive
• Playful & Colorful
• Adventurous & Energized
We also asked the community to share with us
the type of visual or practical art they gravitate
toward and the art they are less excited about
(e.g. sculptures, benches, utility boxes, town
gathering areas, sidewalk cafes, and many
other examples). In general, community
members gravitated toward colorful and playful
art that lends itself toward places people would
be welcome to gather with friends, or as a
community. For the most part, the Silverthorne
community was less interested in bronze animal
sculptures and industrial art installations, as
they do not feel like Silverthorne. Additionally,
while Silverthorne feels a little more utilitarian,
and “real” than other mountain towns, it is
important that art and culture in Silverthorne
be an expression of the Town’s warmth and
welcoming attitude.
Lastly, we asked community members to share
any specific ideas they have for arts and culture.
While this plan is not intended to make specific
choices about art or programming, we did collect
these comments for future consideration by the
Town, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee,
and others. Here were the ideas:
• Aspen tree art (like the one at the Winter Park
Rec. Center)
• Children’s Art Display
• Art Exhibition space
• Storytelling festival
• Dinner Theatre
• More wildlife reserves
• Jewelry making groups
• Sculpture Park with art from recycled
materials made by locals
• Help endangered species of animals
• A website that locals volunteer to post pictures
and write blogs about our community
• Lego Bridge
• Kids wading pools as seating for an outdoor
kids movie
• Restaurant piano bar
• Splash fountains
• Lego Bridge
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• Participatory art appreciation classes and
programs i.e. where one can learn and create
• Temporary art projects i.e. snowmen building
• Art Museum
• Sculptures of activities
• Musical instruments
• Gardening is art. More garden events
• Will this be beneficial? As an artist I doubt it
• Local clubs for artists and musicians (and
aspiring artistes)
• A place to create & paint on a weekly basis
• Commitment to the community and local art
• Hobby Lobby or Michaels. We have nothing
like this in Summit County
• Public and competitive dances w/different
themes
• Traveling art show
• Educational art around town
• Indoor art/Farmers market
• Volunteer centers and art clubs
• Photography walks and talks with awesome
locals!
• Art classes and open sessions
• Botanical Garden (indoor/outdoor) ala Betty
Ford
• Children’s /teens art display. Work w/ local
schools
• Painted benches + Bike Racks
• “Locals only” events + Discount
• Poetry Slam
• More live music
• Puppet shows and workshops
• Local author’s exhibit/celebration
• Have a big statue by the underpass to draw
people
• A center for crafts + artisans (food included)
• Art classes
• Knitting group
• Art supply store + studio space
• Club Boy & Girls town (classes painting,
dancing, art)
• Group Hikes w/ historical perspective (I know
you do a few but more please ☺)
• “Intro to….” classes
• Why not tie in events w/local brew fests like:
home brewing, cooking w/beer, etc.
• Arts district/Special exhibits
• Joint projects with Dillon Ranger District +
Senior Center
• Winter art festival type weekend – local crafts
+ food, music + FUN!!!
• Famous Artists Exhibition – Attract people to
Silverthorne
• Sculptures of the natural world
• A place for art classes or studios
• Cultural House (Casa Cultural)
• Local artist gallery
• Support with technology to create art
(photoshop)
• Workshops to teach with teens
• Art-related laser tag (i.e. something art
focused teenagers will engage in)
• Affordable art for all
• I like the “Lego bridge” art
• I like the “fat frog” art
• Practice spaces for musical groups/lessons
with scholarships
• Dance classes
• Diverse cultural experiences, like tonight!
• Get creative with public restrooms, e.g.
Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, New
Zealand
• The Whangarei canopy bridge is a good
model for Silverthorne’s Festival Bridge
• Be known for artistic Christmas lights/tours/
food/parades. See: www.christmasfestival.
com
• City Museum in St. Louis combines family fun
with interactive artwork and is a top attraction:
www.citymuseum.org/
• Cinco de Mayo Festival event: www.
citadeloutlets.com/photo-gallery/
• Frontier/western Festival
• Food Truck Festival
• cheaper and less environmentally
obtrusive way to have big impact is
projection installations: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ugBbTiBmZ2g
• Snowman building contest/art installation
• Botanical gardens – warm indoor space,
could also provide education, and be a small
concert venue
• Pro Cycling Challenge -- Pre-race, family
events, after-viewing party
• Tamale Cookoff challenge (on Pavilion lawn)
• “River Lights” like “zoo lights” at the Denver
zoo
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I Silverthorne
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” -Leonard Bernstein