City of Seattle Mike McGinn, Mayor

"Lobsters, Art & Public Policy," A Conversation with Ben Cameron
Free, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center

SEATTLE - The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, Arts Coalition and Seattle Parks and Recreation's Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center present "Lobsters, Art & Public Policy: A Conversation with Ben Cameron" at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27. The public is invited to participate, free of charge, in this lively and unexpected exchange that promises to go far beyond "art is good" in a discussion about the value of arts and culture in our region.

For information, http://www.evite.com/arts.culture@seattle.gov/lobsters&art, send e-mail to arts.culture@seattle.gov or call 206-684-7171.

"We're delighted to welcome Ben to Seattle," said Michael Killoren, director of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. "His take on the 'value of art and culture' is refreshing, provocative and entertaining. Among other things, he describes what lobster fisherman can teach us about the 'ecology' of arts and culture in our communities."

In speeches around the country, Mr. Cameron speaks about the relationship between the arts and economic and civic vibrancy; educational achievement for students and ultimate self-expression; and race relationships and a better harmonious nation. He also calls for the arts sector to form a more united front. " . . . it's time we do this together. While we create value for our institutions individually, we must build value for the arts in aggregate. In an age of right-wing conspiracy, I want an arts conspiracy-conspiracy, rooted in the Latin for con-spire-to breathe together. I want us to conspire for the sake of the arts. The value I build as a theatre can only help the value of orchestras, if we do this right; the orchestra value can only build the value of operas; the value of operas that of museums, and so forth."

Ben Cameron is Executive Director of Theatre Communications Group, the national organization to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. Previously, he was active in corporate philanthropy, as Senior Program Officer at the Dayton Hudson Foundation and then as Manager of Community Relations at Target Stores in Minneapolis.

He worked for the National Endowment for the Arts, serving as Director of the Theatre Program from 1990 to 1992. His experience working in not-for-profit professional theatre includes three years as Associate Artistic Director at Indiana Repertory Theatre; Literary Manager for PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC; and a host of freelance assignments at Baltimore's Center Stage and Yale Repertory Theatre, among others. He has taught theatre at the Yale School of Drama, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. He is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at Columbia University and an Oxford Lecturer on the Queen Mary 2.

Seattle Channel (cable 21) will film the event for future broadcast. Visit www.seattlechannel.org for schedule information.

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs promotes the value of arts and culture in and of communities throughout Seattle. The 15-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council, supports the City agency.

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