City Gears Up for New Wave of Poets Laureate

During a recent retreat on December 12, the Sedona City Council laid out a multifaceted plan to enhance its support for the arts. With a focus on innovative initiatives, the council aims to establish an arts support contract program, create two poets laureate positions, and reformat the Moment of Art segment during meetings.

Poets Laureate

Nancy Lattanzi, the Arts and Culture Specialist, expressed excitement over the collaboration with the Sedona library for the proposed poet laureate program. Community Library Executive Director Judy Poe is eager to move forward. “My Rotary club had the proposed poet laureate Rex Arrasmith come and speak,” Vice Mayor Holli Ploog recalled. The plan includes a junior and senior poet laureate, emphasizing outreach to schools.

“Yes, most of it is to go to the schools,” Lattanzi noted. The council discussed allocating $2,000 per poet annually for their community engagements. “April is poetry month, I guess,” Ploog suggested, highlighting the urgency of implementing these roles soon.

An initial selection committee will likely include Poe, Sedona Poetry Slam host Christopher Fox Graham, and city Finance Director Barbara Whitehorn. This group will determine the final structure and direction for the poets’ roles.

Moment of Art

Lattanzi also queried the council about the future of the Moment of Art, currently scheduled for the beginning of each council meeting. She proposed setting aside a dedicated time, perhaps bi-monthly, for a more substantial art showcase. “We could offer to even pay the artists,” she suggested. Councilman Brian Fultz agreed, stating the need for an improved setup for artists’ presentations.

While some council members appreciated the exposure the current format provides, others advocated for more time dedicated to artists. Councilwoman Melissa Dunn proposed that this segment serve as a promotional teaser for longer events featuring the same artists.

City Manager Anette Spickard suggested experimenting with the new format to assess its effectiveness. The dialogue highlighted a balance between maintaining the Moment of Art and improving artists’ visibility to a broader audience.

Small Grants

Last fiscal year, the city increased its Small Grant Program budget from $200,000 to $350,000, ensuring that at least 40% supports arts organizations. Recent discussions included the possibility of separating arts funding from the grant program altogether, handling it as a community service contract instead.

Ploog mentioned concerns regarding the larger arts organizations, like the Sedona International Film Festival and the Sedona Arts Center, potentially overshadowing smaller entities. City Attorney Kurt Christianson pointed out that both models have merit; however, arts grants are better suited within the Small Grants Program.

Spickard noted council members’ interest in shaping a new set of arts support contracts for the upcoming budget planning process.

‘Apple Turnover’

In other news, residents may have noticed the absence of Fuller Barnes’ “Apple Turnover” sculpture from the Sedona Heritage Museum. Lattanzi revealed that the piece had been damaged in a vehicle collision and is currently undergoing restoration. It will be relocated to prevent future damage once repairs are completed.