The Roses of Heliogabalus

Being Not Less Than Lions

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” — Søren Kierkegaard Some things we hold dear, too fragile to take out of the drawer and risk the kitten will break it; too soft a secret to share, delicate and deserving […]

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…Reputation is founded on integrity — which is not about controlling information, but about acting on it to ensure integrity.

Bill Schubart

The Elevation of Agitation

Tonight I experienced humble gratitude and sense of fraternity that is a rare pleasure. The Hergenrother Foundation welcomed me into the mix of speakers at the Ignite Burlington 2015 event at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, and I gave the statement below, titled, ‘The Elevation of Agitation: Empowering Voices & Remembering Simple Truths.’ […]

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South End Alliance

Guest Post — Embracing The South End ‘Revolt’

Words by the South End Alliance. Photo by James Lockridge. Note: The artists of the South End of Burlington recognized early in a recent city planning process that it was endangering the sustainability of their naturally occurring cultural district. Starting with little to no understanding of the processes that were in motion and threatening their […]

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There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized common peace.

Woodrow Wilson, 1917
Photo by Mark Randall Byland

Velvet Rage & The Quiet Clarion: A Politic Call To Action

Photo by Mark Randall Byland. The BCA board has voted to create permanent voting board seats, narrowing further the opportunity for us to participate in guiding our city’s investment and planning for the arts. The note below was sent today to City Council President Jane Knodell and a few city councilors who’ve been open-minded about what […]

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Double Down: The Burlington Arts Transparency Imperative

From up high above the clouds, looking down, where all the world below seems green and blue and the sun is always shining, the city of Burlington welcomes everyone to participate in important decisions. Public engagement makes city planning and governing processes sparkle. It’s pretty and makes a person feel good. From up close, though, […]

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Ploof, Goodkind, Weinberger, & Guma

Candidate Poll: BTV Arts Governance

On Monday, February 23, I asked Burlington political candidates the question below via email. Answers were requested to arrive by Friday at 3pm so they could be posted here and shared via social media with the wider arts community, coinciding with the final mayoral forum at Arts Riot. Responses have been published in alphabetical order without editing. Find […]

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Aubergine

Burlington Free Press: South End Artists Battle Gentrification

Molly Walsh at The Burlington Free Press wrote this solid article about the fight in the South End of Burlington to understand and resist the commercial, political and zoning forces that are emerging to threaten the spirit of this humming, industrial arts district. I’ve been blessed to witness South End artists stepping up to meet this […]

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Open Letter: An Idealized Arts Position Statement for Burlington’s Mayoral Candidates

This letter was written collaboratively by visual and performing artists for the benefit of Burlington’s mayoral candidates. To Burlington Mayoral Candidates: Steve Goodkind Greg Guma Loyal Ploof Mayor Miro Weinberger Miro, Greg, Loyal & Steve: Below you’ll find an idealized arts policy position statement produced by close to a dozen local arts leaders collaborating via […]

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Guest Post — Through the Looking Glass: A Vision for Burlington’s South End Arts District

The following is by C. W. Norris-Brown, PhD, January 2015. “In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities….the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country.” – […]

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Dispatch

A note sent today to Burlington arts champions and the city councilors who have kindly conversed on these subjects. Hey, All –  Wishing a happy new year to everyone, with high hopes that we’ll see increased attention for transparency, inclusion, and a sustainable long-term vision by the city for its arts community. This note is […]

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The Tiny But Expensive Elephant In The Room

I made this statement to the Burlington City Council on January 12, 2015. I’m here to make a couple comments about how the city could make smarter and fairer plans for supporting the arts with its annual taxpayer-funded budget for that of more than $700,000. I work with creative people of all generations and artistic […]

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Rust On the Wonderland

Somewhere along the way I came to live and breathe the understanding that our humanity is best felt and shared through art, and that ‘art’ was a koan and ineffable token for all the beauty and compassion we could know or reveal. My professional life has been dedicated to creating opportunities for young adults to […]

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Inclusion: The Bedrock, The Sky, and the Noise Between

I made the statement below on September 23, 2014 as a panelist during the ‘Burlington On Burlington’ discussion series presented by Arts Riot at Hotel Vermont. The Arts Riot crew — Felix, PJ, and Hillary — pulled together people from different backgrounds in local arts to talk about a different topic at each event. The title […]

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Loving Half the Arts, And Other Big Choices

The essay below started as a statement made to the Burlington City Council on January 27, 2014. The Burlington Free Press invited that the statement be expanded for their ‘Heart of Art’ series. It was published February 23, 2014. Special thanks to Emilie Stigliani, BFP Story Editor, and Brent Hallenbeck, BFP Arts & Entertainment Reporter. […]

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The Case for A Cultural Commons

This essay was published  by the Burlington Free Press as a Heart of Art feature on November 29, 2012, http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20121202/ARTS/312020001/Heart-Art-James-Lockridge-makes-case-cultural-commons The arts encompass some of the most meaningful expressions humanity has to share — they embody our intellect, emotion and essential experiences in the most complete manner possible. The movement, color, words, melody, and the intricate […]

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