Charlottesville's thriving artistic community may benefit from a bill that would allow the city to establish an arts and culture district.
The General Assembly bill would authorize the city to grant tax breaks and other incentives to attract more art-related businesses to the Charlottesville community.
"Charlottesville has one of the best arts communities in the state," Charlottesville Mayor Blake Caravati said. "We're happy about this bill because we want to make it the best."
The Harrisonburg City Council requested the bill to help revitalize its downtown. The Senate Committee of Local Government, which passed the bill on a 15-0 vote, added Charlottesville to the bill without opposition. Del. Glenn M. Weatherholtz (R-Harrisonburg) sponsored the bill.
"I'm surprised that other communities haven't" added their city to the bill, Caravati said.
"I'm glad that Charlottesville and, in this case, Harrisonburg, are leading the state once again," he said.
The city already has "technology-free" zones that grant tax breaks to Charlottesville residents who run technology businesses in Charlottesville.
The arts and culture zone could extend over the entire city, but "the logical area is downtown because it has the highest concentration of artists and galleries, theaters and half-a-dozen bookstores," Caravati added.
He said the arts district initiative might also be used to revitalize West Main St.
The art and culture district would enhance the creation of the new "arts precinct" outlined in the University's Virginia 2020 plan, to be constructed in the Carr's Hill area of Grounds near Fayerweather and Campbell Halls, he added.
The General Assembly has already earmarked $9 million for a new studio arts building, but that falls far short of the $197.1 million total the Fine Arts Commission calls for to meet its recommendations in the 2020 report. The report lays out goals the University would like to meet in the next 20 years, including improving its reputation and prestige.
The planned arts grounds would include expanded space for studio artists, a dance building as well as an expanded practice and performance space for musicians, including the University's many a capella groups.
The construction of the arts precinct on Grounds is "one of our most important priorities," said Drama Dept. Chairman Robert Chapel, who chaired the fine and performing arts committee for Virginia 2020.
"If we have the adequate space for sculptors, painters, dancers and actors, attracting faculty and, especially, talented applicants will naturally follow," Chapel said.
"John Casteen and Leonard Sandridge really deserve to be slapped on the back for this precinct," Caravati said.
"It will spin off to benefit everyone who lives in our community from elementary school students to college students to everybody else," he said.
"I hope that we don't have to wait until 2020 for these buildings," Chapel said.
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