Roanoke Arts Commission seeks community input on ‘Plan 26’ arts and culture strategy

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) -The Roanoke Arts Commission is developing “Plan 26,” a 10-year arts and cultural strategy, and is asking residents to help shape it through a community survey.

What is Plan 26?

The plan is an update to the city’s original arts and cultural plan, written in 2011.

“So Plan 26 is the city’s attempt to update its initial arts and cultural plan that was written in 2011… So we decided to hold off until now, until the 15th year,” said John Cornthwaite.

The plan aims to revitalize neighborhoods, foster local creativity, and integrate art and culture into the broader community.

How residents can participate

The commission is building the plan around community feedback and has created multiple ways for residents to respond.

“So we’ve got kind of three versions of a survey… a quick survey… a full survey… or just a place for them to submit a quick idea,” Cornthwaite said.

Residents can access all three survey options at roanokearts.org.

Cornthwaite said every idea submitted will be documented and included in the plan.

“...every idea that was submitted was documented and explicitly included in the plan. And we’re going to do the same thing…” he said.

Ideas range from art parks to voted stickers

Proposals under consideration span a wide range — from large-scale infrastructure changes to smaller, visible additions to civic life.

“It’s a 10-year plan… I would love to see some immediate impact… really large scale things like an art park… all the way down to… having a local artist design the voted stickers…” Cornthwaite said.

Neighborhood voices at the table

Neighborhood artist Robyn Mitchell is serving on the committee for the first time and said the process has been a way to bring new perspectives to the planning strategy.

“So this is my first time being a part of the committee… it’s been a learning experience. But it’s also been a way to share fresh new ideas of how we can approach the strategy of reaching our neighbors,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said she is focused on connecting arts programming to parks, including the city’s investment in Eureka Park.

“There has been responses to see some collaboration with the arts and our parks… imagining the art and culture that could go into the programming here at Eureka Park…” she said.

An open invitation to get involved

Cornthwaite said the survey is one of the more accessible ways for residents to engage in civic planning.

“...This is an easy way for folks to become civically involved… getting involved in processes like this that shape our city for the next decade… it’s hard to find those moments,” he said.