NEWS

Gastonia City Council seeks artsy residents to help drive economic development

Janiya Winchester
The Gaston Gazette

Art can be more than just plays at the Little Theater of Gastonia or exhibits at the Schiele Museum, says Gastonia City Councilmember Jennifer Stepp, who believes cultivation of space for cultured things can also lead to economic development.

“There are so many things we could do and I want people to know that there’s a place for everyone in an art space,” said Stepp, who was re-elected to her second term on City Council in November.

Stepp will chair a citywide arts committee patterned after one created in Charlotte started by her friend Julie Eiselt, that city's mayor pro tem.

“I heard Julie doing something similar and she shared a few ideas on how to get it started," said Stepp. "The main goal is to make art more relevant in our community and more accessible."

Stepp hopes the committee can increase public art, support Gastonia’s civic nonprofit art organizations and bring educational opportunities to the community.

Gastonia City Council has formed a new committee that will focus on the arts as an economic tool. In this 2017 Gazette file photograph, artist Matt Willey works on a mural above the Hive Design business on West Main Avenue in downtown Gastonia.

“We want to bring economic development dollars through tourism with the art like Charlotte’s Van Gogh exhibits,” said Stepp. “It would be nice to have art that would bring people downtown and into our restaurants.”

The committee will include seven council-appointed Gastonia residents, advisory staff members from the city and City Council members Jennifer Stepp, Jim Gallagher and Charles Odom.

There will be one resident from each ward appointed into the committee.

Stepp loves the murals in the city like those found at the Gaston County Administration offices and others in downtown Gastonia.

She would like to see a performing arts center built in the city with educational components that includes a dance studio, art exhibition space, pottery and painting rooms and a black box theater.

“This is where a lot of community and collaboration happens,” said Stepp. “While someone waits for their kids to finish an arts master class at the center, they could go downtown and grab a coffee or food.”  

Some of her other ideas include creating a green space with sculpture pieces and using the Rotary Pavilion for performing arts like poetry readings, independent film nights or Shakespeare in the park.

Stepp's mother inspired her love for art by taking her to many symphonies, plays and letting her sing in church choirs at a young age.

She has watched the same creativity flow into her children’s hobbies and passions.

“All of my kids do something creative whether it’s dancing, acting, writing or gymnastics,” said Stepp. “There’s never a dull moment in my house.”

Stepp hopes City Council will appoint the first members to the committee in February.

She says that the committees will start brainstorming ideas, sharing their definitions of art and planning projects for 2022. There are no specific requirements to join outside of being a Gastonia resident, having a passion for art in the city, and applying online

Stepp recommends getting applications in before February for those interested in joining the committee.

Reach Janiya Winchester at 704-869-1842 or jwinchester@gannett.com