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01 Feb 09 - 06:49 PM (#2554835) Subject: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Ebbie Juneau, Alaska, is a tourist town. More than a million people visited last year, mostly by cruiseship. Most people stay in town just one day and there is a huge industry meant to give them options on what to do while they are here. There are hiking groups (Juneau's geography is spectacular and we have more than 100 trails), biking groups, rafting on the river groups, kayaking on the ocean groups, groups dining al fresco on salmon, You name an activity- it is probably covered. Juneau, Alaska, is also a creative town full of artists of all sorts, musicians, writers, painters, wildlife experts, photographers (one local has had photos printed in National Geographic), whatever. Juneau has a largeish Arts and Culture Center (called JACC) across the street from the waterfront and a musician friend and I have been working on coming up with a summertime program that will be to the mutual benefit of travelers and locals. His ideas begin with JACC, which is largely unused in the daytime. John would like to introduce passengers and performers from the ships to local artists and artisans. Juneau would bring in their CDs, quilts, paintings and sketches and whatever else. People would come in for a few minutes or for hours to rest, munch on goodies, meet locals and go from there. We know that a good many of these ships' people are also involved with the arts (I myself have played music with travelers in-house and on lawns on sunny days) and he would like to offer the opportunity to jam with each other and/or with locals. OK- any further ideas? In your view is this something that would be of interest to you? Is there something you, as a traveler, would like to see offered? |
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01 Feb 09 - 07:00 PM (#2554844) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Rapparee Ebbie, if I'm coming into Juneau by boat I'll be landing outside of town, past the airport...you know where. But for those poor benighted heathens who travel in those ships that tower over the public library, yes, it might well be of interest. It's of interest to ME, but my boat wouldn't dock where those other ones do. |
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01 Feb 09 - 07:14 PM (#2554860) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Ebbie Rap, you can also dock at one of the two harbors downtown. Both Aurora and Harris Harbors are within four blocks of JACC. Big boats have to go 'round the island but small boats can traverse the flats between out-the-road and downtown, especially during high tide. Come on down! Any ideas of other things we can offer at JACC? Anyone foresee difficulties with any of our plans? I am supposed to contact the JACC director this week and set up a convenient time for us all to meet. |
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02 Feb 09 - 10:35 AM (#2555250) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Ebbie Refresh one time. |
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02 Feb 09 - 10:55 AM (#2555271) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Nancy King Well, it would be of interest to me, if I were ever to get to Juneau. I'm not really big on hiking, but a bit of local culture is great. Of course you are asking a self-selected group here -- whether the average Joe Blow tourist would feel the same way is an interesting question. But surely there would be SOME interest, especially if the JACC advertised itself well enough -- including in advance on the ships. Seems to me that it might want to be a bit of a local museum as well as a shop and performance venue. I think a lot of folks want to find out a little (probably not a lot) about the history and culture of places they visit. Good luck with your project! Nancy |
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03 Feb 09 - 12:32 PM (#2556259) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: sian, west wales I do quite a bit of work on Cultural Tourism at the governmental level (as well as on projects). I think the idea of a space with access to a lot of cultural products would be appealing although you might have to wrestle with the cruise organizers. Some cruise operators, as well as ferry operators, expect some income if they include attractions in their itinerary. There are obviously ways around this, and other ways of putting pressure on them. The big buzz words in this field are "Sense of Place" - give the tourists a real Juneau-specific experience, and this can include presentations of music, poetry, etc. I think one problem with the jamming idea is, will tourists have thought to bring their instruments? Might need to be song-based. If you want anything in details, feel free to PM me. sian |
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03 Feb 09 - 12:56 PM (#2556294) Subject: RE: BS: Ideas-Arts/Culture Ctr for Touri/Locals From: Ebbie Thanks for your thoughts! * We find that a good many tourists do look for contact with locals and local history. For more than 12 years I was caretaker/docent of a house museum here and the people who toiled up the hill to it were uniformly great. I think that just about anyone who steps outside their ship-regimented/sanctioned routine is already more than halfway to 'great'. * The JACC is kind of a museum- they have a one-room exhibit of local art; some of it is wonderful. * We realize that we need to get the word out to the cruiselines. We do have one advantage there; JACC is already on their screen and we would only enhance it. * The director of JACC has emailed me back saying that she wants to talk with us after their next extravaganza, their Wearable Art show. That community show is always a hoot, sometimes outrageous, but always creative. Keep the ideas coming! |