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Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News January 29, 2007 - North Carolina trip inspires arts, culture group By Mary Olson, for the Daily Tribune Arts & Heritage Cluster seeks to engage, unite and illuminate the arts, history and culture for a vibrant community. In October, a group of 13 residents gathered at Central Wisconsin Airport to begin our exploration of rural North Carolina. We had in our hands an itinerary that included almost 20 stops in three days in small towns that have experienced the loss or reduction of manufacturing jobs in textiles and furniture-making, and loss of tobacco farming. As local artist Jeanne Weymouth has written in her account of the study tour, "We were quite confident that this indeed would be an interesting trip. We were, however, delightfully surprised and often amazed by the inspiration, innovation, ingenuity, creativity and variety that we witnessed and experienced." Our days were jam-packed with successful examples of how residents and business people in the western mountains of North Carolina are taking what's best from their own backyard and creating new economic opportunities for their citizens. North Carolina Study Tour participants were: Gerald Bach, Robert Ebben, Carol Elliot, James and Marge Hass, Carol Jonas, Lois Ann Kroll, Christine Kryshak, Connie Loden, Mary Beth Rokus, Jeanne Weymouth, Julie Wolcott and myself. As we traveled from one location to another, we were energized by the examples from North Carolina, and started discussing and writing down our own ideas to engage, unite and illuminate south Wood County and Rome's rich tapestry of arts, history and culture. The Arts & Heritage Cluster of the Progress Initiative was born out of ideas generated from the North Carolina study tour and the cluster invites everyone who has an interest in art, history and culture to join. We invite you to attend a presentation by the Arts & Heritage Cluster next week -- to learn how the cluster is taking lessons learned from other states and countries to help foster the arts and heritage of our own central Wisconsin area. Choose the date and time that works best for you; both presentations will be held at the Central Wisconsin Cultural Center, 240 Johnson St., Wisconsin Rapids: • 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5. • Program repeats at 9 a.m. Feb. 6. The North Carolina and Ireland study tour highlights/lessons learned will be discussed, as well as the arts and heritage assets of our area. The meetings will offer the opportunity to become part of a formative group, the Arts & Heritage Cluster, dedicated to engaging and illuminating our arts and heritage. The program is free and open to the public. Please pass along this information and invitation to anyone you think would care to participate. We hope to see you. Mary Olson is co-chairwoman of the Arts & Heritage Industry Cluster of the Community Progress Initiative, www.progressinitiative.com.
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