CONVERSATION

curator; Tonya Mack,

Yuba Community College District Grant Research and Development Officer and co-founder of The Village; Foster Mcmanus, actor, director and Acting Company associate;

Susan Miller, educator and co-president of the Sutter Performing

Arts Association; James Ochsner, Sutter County Director of Library Services; and Chris Pedigo, board member of the

Mary Aaron Museum and the Historic Marysville City Cemetery as well as a member of the Yuba County Historic Resources Commission.

The panel started the discussion by addressing what they believe to be the biggest issues within the local and national arts

and culture communities, especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Really it’s about opportunity and engagement and partnership,” said Mack. “More often than not, we are finding ourselves at resource deficits, but braving funds and certainly working together to reach out to the community that we love and that we all serve is critically important, more so now in this COVID environment.”

Mack said that strengthening relationships, opening doors of communication and sharing resources will go a long way in nurturing the arts and culture within the community.

The panel also discussed the economic impact that the arts and cultural events have on the community.

When discussing the economical impact of arts and culture, Young Fresquez said although the Bok Kai parade is only one weekend per year the event brings people into the community from all over and while they are here they see the many other things that the Yuba-sutter area has to offer.

“They’re going to come back,” said Young Fresquez. “They’re going to see what’s downtown with the Mary Aaron, they’re going to see the arts, they are going to see all the other things there are. One will lead to another for those tourists to come back and bring that economic dollar each time they come – whether it is gas or hotels here when they spend the weekend.”

Hougen said arts and culture also stimulates local agriculture and vendors through the

farmers market the Sutter County Museum started up just a few months ago.

Pedigo said it is time for arts and culture to join the virtual world, especially as more and more is done

online

“I think this is a chance to reintroduce ourselves to the community and what we offer in arts and culture,” said Pedigo.

A recording of the