Guest Post: Who is in charge of state’s Culture and History?
[from thegazz.com editor] The ArtAttack blog is always open to guest postings from people concerned about the health and life of the arts in West Virginia. We received the following from someone who asked they not be identified (we know who the person is) as this person must interact with the powers that be at the W.Va. Division of Culture and History in the future. We felt what Wicked Wag had to say was well worth sharing:
WICKED WAG Writes:
When it comes to properly promoting the industry of culture in West Virginia, I think many people are missing the big picture. The big picture encompasses the state’s leadership in concert with the private sector. What private culture sector, you say? Well, one might ask that question in the same way folks were asking “What tourism industry?” back in the early ’80s. Back then, state tourism efforts included a director who made about $30,000 a year and was stuck in a dismal little office in one of the state buildings. Even the tourism director had little hope for a real industry in West Virginia. So what happened? I won’t go into the history of all that, but I watched the tourism industry burgeon from those days to what it is now. Somebody got the picture.
Do I think state government should be the engine for development of an industry of culture sector in West Virginia? I don’t know, but I do know that state government shouldn’t be a hindrance. Right now, about all it is getting is lip service, and the state museum delays are a nice smoke screen for the
larger issue of lack of leadership. That lack is not Nancy Herholdt’s. She is being used as a scapegoat. She only did what she was told. The Gazette ought to be asking who the boss is? Who’s calling the shots? Or not calling them?
The reason no one is asking questions is that, apparently, no one thinks that the Division of Culture & History is important enough. If “culture” is understood as a revenue stream, then it doesn’t look so important. Certainly not as important as mining, oil, gas or chemicals. But if it’s understood as the face of West Virginia, the persona, then the neglect becomes more significant. It doesn’t appear that anyone really believes the rhetoric that a more creative populace translates into a more prosperous populace. One source in Berkeley Springs has said that the town’s revival as a spa resort was achieved in spite of a county and town government that offered little help, and from time to time, even threatened to block the town’s tourism development because of political infighting. Private enterprise prevailed, in spite of them.
Perhaps that’s what will have to happen on the state level, as well. If and when “Culture & History,” the foundation of ‘the industry of culture’, is recognized and nurtured as a substantial source of potential revenue to the state, and is allowed to speak for the state in a way equal to athletics at WVU or Marshall, state government might then finally see fit to put some brains and effective leadership behind its further development.
June 13th, 2006 at 8:43 am
It is evendent that no one is in charge. It shows in the lack of focus that events have.
June 22nd, 2006 at 12:31 pm
It’s sad that the only visible progress made on the state museum was during a Republican administration. Bill Drennen paid it lip service, “Conlin and Company” actually got things moving, the Wise folks stopped it cold, and the Manchin people are uninterested.
As for Ms. Herholdt, she is being well-paid to take the fall for her years on the project.