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published on 11/15/2005
ALLIED ARTS INITIATES SIGNAL MOUNTAIN ARTS REACH
By ANNE RITTENBERRY
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We on the Mountain are so fortunate! In an effort to extend the benefits of the arts to Signal Mountain, Allied Arts of Chattanooga has initiated a committee of arts-friendly people on the Mountain to direct the course of the Signal Mountain Arts Reach, a great new project.
This past month, Don Andrews, President of Allied Arts; Mai Belle Hurley, Allied Arts Board member and guiding force for the Arts Initiative for our Community; and Signal Mountain Mayor, Bill Leonard met with a local committee to introduce the venture and to ask for responses and suggestions. Everyone in the room was thrilled at the prospect of performances by the fifteen Allied Arts member agencies here on the Mountain.
The discussion included the shared wish of making Allied Arts as inclusive in reality as it is in theory. Since we on the Mountain enjoy many “quality of life” venues, it is the plan to use these venues to bring the arts to our community.
This wonderful opportunity is the gift of a generous patron who wants to test the waters for interest in this endeavor. Since Signal Mountain has strong participation in Allied Arts, it’s likely that the Arts Reach project will be well received.
The agencies that benefit from Allied Arts’ support are the Arts and Education Council, Association for Visual Artists, Ballet Tennessee, Chattanooga African American Museum, Chattanooga Boys Choir, Chattanooga Girls Choir, Chattanooga Regional History Museum, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Choral Arts of Chattanooga, Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, Hunter Museum of American Art, Ripe and Ready Players, and the Shaking Levi Society.
One of the initial offerings for the Mountain is the use of public art, or sculptures, placed in prominent positions. Other ideas from the first meeting were Symphony performances to be held at the Signal Mountain Playhouse Amphitheater when shows aren’t in production there.
Upcoming monthly meetings of the Arts Reach Committee are sure to stimulate lively discussion and will get the process of bringing the arts to the Mountain off to an exciting start.
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