For this latest cultural planning update, I’m writing from Washington, D.C., where for the second year in a row I am attending the Arts Advocacy conference, sponsored by Americans for the Arts.

A record 475 constituents showed up this year, all of us workers in and advocates for the arts. The first day of this conference is about training on specific issues: increased funding to the National Endowment for the Arts; a bill to allow artists a fair tax deduction for gifts of their own work and many other issues. The second day is filled with visits to our lawmakers to request support for these bills and issues. I’ve met arts leaders from California, as well as across the country, and these colleagues continue to be amazed that we have no public arts policy in Napa County, and no public funding for the arts. I’m excited to report to all of them that change is in the air for our arts community, but there is still so much work to do.

I’ve also been amazed by how many advocates from California have talked to me about our cultural planning process. Word has spread, statewide, that we are working on this initiative, and many eyes are now on us watching and hoping for our success. When we began thinking about launching this process, I researched how it had been done in other communities, to learn from them. Now I realize we have the potential to be a model for other California communities. How amazing would it be, five or 10 years from now, to look back and realize that we were revolutionaries for the arts in California?

Back at home, the cultural planning process continues. We’ve completed the Discovery Interview process, and full results from those interviews areon our Web site at www.artscouncilnapavalley.org. We’ve posted a summary, complete with trends and quotes, as well as the full text of all the interviews. There is also a list of the interviewees, but the quotes and text are unattributed.

There is so much passion around the arts in this community — it’s ready for action. “We must get the most diverse group of people possible to make this happen” begins my favorite quote from the interviews. “Risk galore. This is worth fixing, and it can get better. We need everyone’s wisdom.“

 Please join us in this work at Arts Council Napa Valley, and get your voice heard in support of Napa Valley arts.

To learn more about the initiative to create a cultural plan for Napa County, please visit us at www.artscouncilnapavalley.org or contact us at 257-2117 or info@artscouncilnapavalley.org.

Michelle Williams is the executive director of the Arts Council Napa Valley.