BEST OF SAVAGE...  

Arts community has grown steadily in 5 years

By Nancy Huddlestad from November 2011 City of Savage News Letter

What’s a community without art?

That’s a question a small group of residents asked about five years ago when they approached the Savage City Council about forming an arts council. Now that question is being answered with programs like the Scott County Art Crawl, a juried art competition, special exhibits, Music in the Park and a variety of other projects.

For Denise Baerg, chairwoman of the Savage Arts Council (SAC), the arts opportunities available to residents provide another reason why the city is a great place to live.  And it’s also one of the reasons the city was ranked #51 in Money magazine’s top 100 places to live in this year’s nationwide poll.

Scott County, Minnesota and the Midwest. SAC’s goal is to support the programming, events and services that best promote the arts community.  Baerg said free classes offered through the “Art for All” program have helped foster a deeper appreciation in the community for visual art. And the ongoing partnership between the SAC, the Savage Art Gallery & Studio, and the City’s parks and recreation program to offer a variety of art classes continues to keep the creative juices flowing.

“The impact to having art as an element in a healthy community can help people understand things better in their everyday lives,” Baerg points out.  Baerg and Roberts both serve as volunteer commissioners on the City’s Economic Development Commission (EDC), so that experience gives them an added perspective of how the community is developing.  For instance, Baerg says, there are many forms of art. “We’re the Savage Arts Council, with an ‘s’,” she said. “So we want to give residents great opportunities to enjoy all of the arts.”

To that end, the SAC partners with other arts organizations in the county to bring all kinds of arts programming to all ages. For instance, the SAC is looking into a partnership with Murphy’s Landing in Shakopee for a regional art show next summer; is hoping to help offer regular music and dancing opportunities to seniors at the Dan Patch American Legion Club; is exploring a Poetry Slam idea; and is working with two local artists to financially support their “Faces of Savage” program.  In addition to these visual arts programs, residents have other creative outlets available through the Prior Lake Players, South Metro Chorale, South of the River Community Band, Windjammers, Stringwerks adult and youth music programs, and community education classes through ISD 191 and ISD 719.

To learn more about the Savage Arts Council, residents are welcome to attend monthly meetings help from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of most months at Savage City Hall.