June 15, 2017
In a recent editorial in Southern Vermont Arts and Living, Marlboro College President Kevin Quigley and Vermont Performance Lab Director Sara Coffey decry looming federal budget cuts to the arts. Responding to President Trump’s budget blueprint eliminating funding for the National Endowment of the Arts, these leaders find promise in innovative partnerships.
“In the face of these drastic cuts, a real solution to supporting artists and keeping the arts vital in our communities is to develop new models of partnership that link higher education, artist residencies, and communities,” they write in an article titled “Outspoken Partners: Together is how the arts will survive.”
Kevin and Sara cite the decade-long relationship between Marlboro College and Vermont Performance Lab, a partnership that links artist research with undergraduate faculty and students, and with members of local rural communities.
“Our collaborative model of socially engaged practice nurtures stronger, healthier communities while fostering an informed, engaged generation of cultural workers and producing great works of art. Partnering in this way also helps precious resources go further and enhances our institutions by offering students access to influential artists and community organizations working on a range of topics in ways that enhance their learning and preparation for the future.”
