State of the Arts: Future

"I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today." that's what former newspaper editor Willaim Allen White once said. And for Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute its past is a great barometer for of its future. President Anthony Spiridigloizzi says, "They knew that the arts were very important to a community, they enhanced the quality of life. They help grow its economy and help promote community pride and attachment. And that's really a vision that I share and want to advance."

                The institute is a fine arts center that serves a diverse audience and the performing arts division has an eye towards the future. Director of Performing Arts Bob Mortis says, "We would like to keep presenting the type of performance that people will both enjoy and will benefit their lives. People who experience the arts at a young age can develop into the 21st century workforce that's very creative and innovative, that's what a lot of industries are looking for these days."

                Since the very beginning when the school of art was granted to power to teach fine arts in higher education, creativity has always been a focal point. Interim Dean of the School of Art Ken Marchione says, "I think anytime you're making art you gain a greater depth of understanding of what it means to express yourself in art and what other people, the visual, the performing arts are putting themselves out there just for the viewer."

            The future of Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute - includes performing and fine arts and education - but also embodies the heart of the culture of Central New York. Spiridigloizzi added, "I think that these world-class collections, our performances and our really unequaled art instruction can do more to improve the quality of life in this community, can be one of the leading drivers in promoting community attachment."