As a measure of success, simply not sinking on a choppy sea may not sound like much.

 

But consider this:

 

For all the hard economic times Dayton has seen during the past few years, none of its jewels in the arts have gone under.

 

Columbus can't say that. Its symphony orchestra suspended operations during the summer and only recently restarted, with a plan for an abbreviated season. And that required a $1.3 million pay cut for musicians.

 

More at http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/oh/story/opinions/editorial/2008/10/29/ddn102908artsxxse.html

Its been pointed out that the comparison with Austin is off since Austin isn't know for its high-art scene, which is what this article is about.

 

The question is if a declining metro area like Dayton can sustain the full complement of SOB + theatre + art musuem + additional groups like DCDC. 

 

The nice thing about having Cincinnati close by is that culture vultures can get their fix in the Queen City if one or more Datyon performing arts orgs go by the wayside.

 

 

^I agree> The Cincinnati/Dayton region need to start marketing themselves as one region where someone who lives in any part of the region has access to all the amenities that both cities offer.  Think about what the combined region offers in terms of high culture arts:

Art Museums: Cincinnati Art Museum, Dayton Art Institute, Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center

 

Theatre: Aronoff/Schuster Center for off Broadway productions, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Festival, Victoria Theatre Association in Dayton, The Know Theatre and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, countless others...

 

Music/performing arts: Cincinnati Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Opera, Dayton Opera, not to mention the touring national acts that come to Riverbend, US Bank Arena, and the Nutter Center.

 

 

Indeed.

IIRC, Richard Florida's hypothesis is that traditional fine arts aren't an economic driver.  Rather, it is the indie arts that provide more direct engagement opportunities for the young and creative.  I suspect he'd lump high class orchestras in with convention centers and stadiums.  I'm not always a Florida true believer, but I think there's a big of AND logic going on here.  It helps to have both.

 

Obviously, both Cincy and Dayton have those as well. Its about marketing these, and marketing the region as one, IMO.

Floridas term is SOB= "Syphony/Opera/Ballet", to which you can add maybe theatre.  I don't recall if he considers sports, but they always seemed to me to be antithetical to that hipster "creative class" vibe he talks about.

 

I think Dayton actually has the potential for one of those urban creative class scenes since things are so compact, plus a regional music scene between Cincy and Dayton.  The old WOXY really did foster that POV as you'd hear bands from both citys on their playlist. 

 

The Cincinnati/Dayton region need to start marketing themselves as one region where someone who lives in any part of the region has access to all the amenities that both cities offer.  Think about what the combined region offers in terms of high culture arts:

Art Museums: Cincinnati Art Museum, Dayton Art Institute, Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center

 

Theatre: Aronoff/Schuster Center for off Broadway productions, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Festival, Victoria Theatre Association in Dayton, The Know Theatre and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, countless others...

 

Music/performing arts: Cincinnati Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Opera, Dayton Opera, not to mention the touring national acts that come to Riverbend, US Bank Arena, and the Nutter Center.

 

I think there's massive possibilities to do a joint arts schedule, where culture vultures can check out each others arts scene. 

 

It would be interesting to extend something like the Fringe Festival into Dayton, to make it a regional thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know this is extremely off-topic, but do you guys think that they will turn the stony hollow landfill into a ski resort a la Mad River Mountain? If they did, that would be awesome! The end quote in the editorial reminded me of this.

 

In the latest edition of Cincinnati Magazine, several Dayton area arts institutions were listed in the calendar of events as to what was going on around the Metro area this month.  The Dayton Phil, Dayton Art Institute, and some concert at a club in the Oregon district were all in there.  Also, a restaurant in Centerville was listed. 

 

 

The metros continue to blend...

Arts, military come together with Tech-Arts

Dayton artists paired with scientists at base

Dayton Business Journal

by Joe Cogliano, DBJ Staff Reporter

Friday, April 15, 2011

 

Earlier this year, eight local artists bonded with a group of scientists and researchers from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The unlikely pairing was brought about to better understand each other’s world and methodologies.

 

The meeting, which may be a catalyst for future breakthroughs in military technology, was part of a new initiative known as Tech-Arts.

 

The initiative is the brainchild of Joe Sciabica, executive director of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patt, and Peter Benkendorf, founder of Involvement Advocacy. It came out of talks the two had while serving on an innovation council for the Dayton Development Coalition ...

 

... More available at http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/print-edition/2011/04/15/arts-military-come-together-with.html.

 

Speaking of Dayton arts, the other day I was at the going-out-of business Borders Books on Sunset and Vine and I happened across a music magazine that was based in Dayton.  I forget the name of the mag, but the Editor's remarks began with "Greetings from the Gem City" and I looked it up and Gem City is Dayton.  Didn't know that and didn't know Dayton had a pretty good music scene.

What really strikes me is that... for all this talk about the importance of young creative people as an economic driver... the majority of people promoting this theory seem to be older. I think everyone just wants to be surrounded by beautiful young people. Look at the cost of living in Grandview or Hyde Park. It's kind of like how the drink sales at bars and restaurants depend almost entirely on the amount of young beautiful women patronizing or working at the place. The only thing I really hate about this hypothesis (which I think is overblown in terms of its impact anyway) is that it gives worthless hipsters way too much credit. I've never met a hipster that wasn't boring yet they show up at a coffee shop and there's suddenly a surge of speculation for real estate within a 3 block radius?! If people are seriously adding value to a place because of the preseence of socially-awkward, woe-is-me, self-loathing yet arrogan, elitist yet broket hipsters, then I've lost faith in America and it's culture.

^^ Guided by Voices came out of the Dayton scene! And a while back so did the Ohio Players (Love Rollercoaster!).

 

^ Wow, someone really hates hipsters. If you've never met one that wasn't boring, you probably haven't looked too hard. I'm not a huge fan of hipsterism, but I find it hard to make so many blanket statements about them as you.

Maybe you're right. I've just been dragged to Skully's too many times.

I was at the going-out-of business Borders Books on Sunset and Vine and I happened across a music magazine that was based in Dayton.  I forget the name of the mag, but the Editor's remarks began with "Greetings from the Gem City" and I looked it up and Gem City is Dayton.  Didn't know that and didn't know Dayton had a pretty good music scene.

 

 

..and I didnt know there was a music magazine, or even a 'zine, based here. 

 

Dayton has a fair music scene.  I guess its a bit suprising there is as much going on here as there is....in country, bluegrass, and acoustic/old-timey as much as in alternative or indy rock.

 

In the recent past, aside from the Proffessors, the local band I like is "Jasper the Colossal", Paige, their lead, is excellent, really "gets it" when it comes to rocking out.  They are sort of girrrrl/post punk, but are quite good, even for an old timer like me.

 

 

 

 

Dayton will never be a hipster place.

 

It would be too self-concious here, too obviously a pose.  In this town If you are into something you're into it becuase you like it, becuase it turns you on,  not because it's "cool".  There's not enough to people to really make a hipster scene.  Good luck if the fan base for indy music here cracks 1,000 people (Dayton Music Fest, local band thing, in the fall has never sold 1,000 tickets, always maybe around 700-800 or so, if I recall right)