Editor,
I’m writing in response to the cultural plan that is currently being considered. As a business executive, a gallery owner and a resident of Laguna Beach I am dismayed not only at the plan being proposed but also the process with which it was created.
For such an important document it lacks a core mission statement that clearly identifies how we want to brand the city and an inclusive tactical plan that supports the mission statement with vetted objectives and bound timelines for achieving them. This is the fundamental starting point for any strategic plan on any level.
Also it fails in that the process to create the plan did not include any of the key stakeholders in the commercial and retail side of the city’s cultural base. Not only does the city not consider how our world class art galleries, restaurants, hotels, music scene and beaches are a defining part of our city’s cultural identity, it has failed to include any of these stakeholders in the creation of this plan.
We are a world-class destination where tourism and cultural appreciation drive our city’s economy. So how is it that the plan fails to include the private sector and our contribution to the cultural identity of the city?
Has government drifted so far away from the people that it only considers it’s own vested interests? If we have a comprehensive plan that includes active promotion of the private sector of our city’s culture we can dramatically increase the number of tourists who travel here for the appreciation of our everyday culture, increase commerce for all stakeholders and increase tax revenue for the city thereby creating more funds for the arts and city services.
Until all of the stakeholder’s of our beautiful city’s culture are included in this process, I strongly advocate that the current plan be discarded until such a time as we understand our core vision and include all of the stakeholders in our city’s culture to create a comprehensive, forward-looking and practical plan.
Michael Roy
The author owns Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art
