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Las Cruces City Council Passes Strategic Art Plan

http://youtu.be/m7e0_mD7H7M

Art is an important part of the Las Cruces Community, and the city art board is working to make art a larger part of the public community.

Chair of the Las Cruces city art board George Griffin says the strategic plan is meant to coordinate how art can be used to improve both quality of life and economic development.

“Step back, take a look,” Griffin said. “And consider just how big, how innovative, and how beneficial the city's art community is for the larger community to start up with.”

He says art can help draw businesses into Las Cruces, and many times provide new business for Las Cruces artists.

“The strategic plan is deliberately recommending that when new business activities are started,” Griffin said. “Some consideration be given to incorporate art into it.”

City Councilor Greg Smith says investing in art could be a good way to help diversify the local economy.

“We're looking at what it does for our community,” Smith said. “How it pulls in our culture, how it pulls in economic development opportunities, and how it says art is basically an industry that ties in with those things. I think too often people think of art as a recreational activity, or something you do with your free time, and they don't realize that it could really be an industry for an area.”

Griffin says another part of the strategic plan includes taking an inventory of art the city already owns.

“We need to know,” Griffin said. “The city needs to know all of the art that it owns. We know it's out there, but the inventory isn't complete. That should be done.”

He says the plan is able to change, and is meant to be a tool for the city for years to come.

“It's not saying everything has to be done now,” Griffin said. “But rather it offers the opportunity to plan what sort of art is integrated into how the city grows.

The Las Cruces City Council unanimously approved the art board's strategic plan.

Samantha Sonner was a multimedia reporter for KRWG- TV/FM.