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Elgin officials are looking for community input as they sketch out a plan for the city’s support of the arts and special events.
An online survey for residents launched last week and will be live through the first week of January. It’s available in English and Spanish and takes seven to nine minutes to complete.
“We want to hear it all, the good, the bad and the ugly,” said Amanda Harris, assistant to the city manager. “We want to know what the community wants.”
The anonymous survey covers topics such as participation in community events, motivations for attending, and preferences for different event types.
The survey is part of the city’s first comprehensive arts and events market study and strategic plan, Harris said.
“Art is everything and everything is art, and art is for everyone,” Harris said. “What we’re trying to do with this process is figure out all the different ways in which art is present in Elgin and how we can amplify that and how we can be doing a better job of making sure we’re responding specifically to the community.”
The survey will be followed by focus groups this winter involving community members and stakeholders that will go a little deeper.
“Those will help us figure out what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong,” she said. “And what people would like to see in the future.”
Harris said they’re hoping to attract a wide array of voices during the process.
“Diversity means a whole lot of things,” she said. “We really want a cross-section that is representative of Elgin at large.”
Anyone interested in participating in the focus groups can visit cityofelgin.org/sp. There also is a survey link on the page.
Harris said they’ll collect all the information and hope to have a strategic plan approved by early spring to start planning for 2024.
The city has put a larger emphasis on public art in the last few years, including projects to wrap utility boxes in art and paint storm drains. The recently approved 2023 budget allocates funding for more public concerts at Festival Park and co-sponsoring events by local groups.
“It’s about quality of life. It’s about accessibility of the arts,” Harris said.
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