401. Not By Bread Alone

Albion’s business district is undergoing quite a facelift, and aren’t things looking nice?  This is happening because a partnership of local, regional, and state groups has come together to improve our downtown business area.  A long-term plan for downtown revitalization was developed and because there was a solid plan in place, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development awarded our community a $350,000 grant, a grant matched locally by an additional $107,450 from the Albion Economic Development Corporation.  Dozens of businesses have been approved for forgivable loans of up to $12,000, and the results are now becoming visible.

These improvements will help us all feel better about our business district by improving its appearance, its overall “feel”.  Old signs and old awnings make our community look drab, and that can’t help but impact people’s feelings about it.  The Bible tells us that “man does not live by bread alone”, and though bread is the staff of material life, people’s needs extend beyond the material, into the spiritual and into the artistic.

Artfully improving the appearance of our businesses lifts people’s spirits and makes everyone feel better about our town.  And given the challenges rural communities face, we need to feel good about our community in order to face these challenges with creativity and spirit.

The artistic improvement of our downtown businesses is a reminder of the importance of art in our lives.  Since 2005 my wife Lori and I have worked hard to bring the performing arts to our community through our work with the Albion Area Arts Council, a public-benefit nonprofit founded in 1979 to lift our spirits and strengthen our community through art.  Though not as obvious as new signs and awnings, our community needs the performing arts for many of the same reasons.  And just as attractive businesses bring people together by drawing them in, concerts and plays bring people together as well.

The Arts Council is currently in the process of selling memberships for its 39th season.  It operates on a budget of less than a tenth of what the downtown improvements are costing; since it began, though, the Arts Council has provided around $1.5 million worth of arts programing for both adults and children in our community.  And though it uses grants to help accomplish this, much of its funding comes from the individuals and families here who purchase a season membership or give donations ranging from $30 to $500.

Please, the next time you’re downtown take a moment to appreciate all the creativity and work that are going into this new face lift.  The improvements are eye candy in the best sense of that term – they satisfy our need to incorporate art in our lives.  And please also think about attending the new season of Arts Council events that’s getting off to a good start right now.  Man does not live by bread alone, and right now many groups in our community are working hard to meet these less-material but every bit as important need for creativity and art.

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