Alex Paul
Cataloging the cultural diversity of Linn County and the State of Oregon is the basis of a survey project being undertaken here.
Area residents are encouraged to provide input said Brian Carroll, director of the Linn County Parks Department.
“We’ve held meetings in Lebanon and Albany so far but we’d like to hole one in Sweet Home soon,” Carroll said. “We’re inviting arts and humanities groups to comment.”
Each Oregon county is required to “develop a countywide plan to identify the unique cultural life of the area and to determine future cultural funding priorities.”
The first step toward that process is completing a cultural inventory.
The Linn County survey seeks information on a variety of cultural areas ranging from anthropology to linguistics.
“Our goal is to act as a non-profit organization that could help fund cultural events throughout the county,” Carroll said. “Money is coming from the sale of cultural-theme license plates and there is a tax credit for those who wish to donate.”
Once an endowment is built up, Carroll said local events such as the Highland Games, could benefit from resource funding.
“During these tough fiscal times, many arts programs have been cut and this is one way that they might be enhanced,” Carroll said.
A few items on the Linn county cultural inventory thus far include the Albany Historic Districts, Flinn’s Dinner Theatre, the Albany Regional Museum, Cascades Performing Arts in Lebanon, the Rock Hill School Foundation, Udell Tree Day, the East Linn Museum, the local murals, the Oregon Jamboree, the Rock and Mineral Show, the Banjo Camp, the Shedd Museum, the Scio Lamb and Wool Fair, the Scio Historical Society and many more.
Questions on the survey are:
1. Are you aware of any arts, heritage, or humanities groups or activities that have been omitted from the attached preliminary cultural inventory? Please add here with contact name and number.
2. Which existing cultural organizations or activities should be expanded or improved for Linn county?
3. What would you like the cultural life of Linn county to be 20 years in the future? What organizations or activities could we be establishing now, so that the cultural life of Linn county will be all you would hope for it to be?
4. What do you think are the three top priorities the Linn County Cultural Plan should address?
5. Please check the appropriate responses. This will help us in our analysis of Linn County’s culture.
A. I live in
__an unincorporated area
__a community of fewer than 500 people
__a community between 500 and 20,000 people
__a community of more than 20,000 people
B. I am __male__female
C. I am __under 18; __between 18 and 35; __between 35 and 55; __over 55.
D. Your zip code________
To learn more about the cultural inventory, contact Brian Carroll at the Linn County Parks Department, 541-924-6915 or email him at [email protected].
You can also answer the survey online at http://www.cityofalbany.net/parks/culture.