Mayor Morse said the new position would mobilize the artistic talents and cultural resources here.
Helena Fruscio, state creative economy industry director, addresses Holyoke City Council Ordinance Committee Tuesday.
HOLYOKE – The director of the state’s creative economy office said establishing an arts coordinator is the right step here because the Paper City is on people’s minds.
“People are talking about you guys across the state. The potential is just unbelievable,” said Helena Fruscio, creative economy industry director in the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
Fruscio was among the speakers Tuesday as the City Council Ordinance Committee discussed Mayor Alex B. Morse’s proposal for a director of arts, culture and tourism.
Fruscio said a main reason Holyoke is getting noticed is the under-construction, $165 million high performance computing center downtown. Coordinating city arts and culture offerings would be another revitalization step, she said.
Morse said he believed such a position would help the city mobilize the talents and strengths of its creative sectors, and the audience at City Hall was lined with artists to back him up.
“This is something I’m incredibly passionate about for the future of the city of Holyoke,” Morse said.
But members of the council, whose approval is needed to establish a new position, said they had numerous questions.
Questions included whether the city can afford the job’s $40,000-a-year salary and whether the director would work out of the mayor’s office or the Office of Planning and Development.
Ordinance Committee Chairwoman Rebecca Lisi said another meeting will be needed to address questions.
The state appointed Fruscio in September. Her office helps cities and towns knit together various resources and the effect can boost the economy. Ideas include having artists open temporary “pop-up” businesses in store-front locations, she said.
Megan Barber, of Brown Avenue, a violinist and director of Art at Work Holyoke, said artists are problem-solvers and innovators. City government is well suited to install a “big-picture” step like an arts coordinator to organize such cultural pursuits, she said.
“I think it’s exactly what we need for the city at this time,” Barber said.
Lyn Horan, of Southampton Road, said she has been a self-employed artist and teacher for 30 years. Artists help communities because collectors visit to browse and then want to go somewhere to eat a meal or have coffee, she said.
Sylvia Robello, of St. Kolbe Drive, an artist and art teacher, said an arts director could unify the city with things like festivals.
“As you can see, art is important to me and we need to promote it wherever and however we can,” Robello said.
Councilor at Large James M. Leahy said he supported establishing an arts director post but asked if it could pay for itself such as by finding grants.
“I’m excited about this positon,” Leahy said.
Fruscio and others said they believe the post eventually would fund itself with grants and by drawing attention here as the arts community grows.
But, said council President Kevin A. Jourdain, “Seeing is believing for me.”
He needed numerous questions answered before he could vote, he said, such as the position’s responsibilities, whether the arts director would be a new department, would staff be needed and could it be a regional job shared with neighboring communities.
“That’s just for openers, a good amount of the information I would need to make an informed decision,” Jourdain said.