November 2, 2010
The Seaside Institute is back.
During the last two years, the Institute has been fairly quiet. The annual Seaside Prize ceremonies have continued without interruption, thanks to extraordinary work by Institute board member Sandi Fiske and Joyce Wilson, a local volunteer. The Institute has also begun to pull together the Seaside archives, which should be an invaluable resource for future researchers and, soon, for current practitioners.
But the Institute did what many non-profits have had to do during the recession: reduce staff, tighten the budget and wait for things to start to turn around. Over the last six months, however, the Institute board came to the conclusion that it was time to come out of hibernation and reboot the Institute!
During the downturn, one major decision was made that will have a big impact on the Institute. For an organization that had always tried to serve both local (arts) and national (new urban) programming, it was clear that in this reduced-resources world only one mission could be served well. As a result, it was decided that a separate nonprofit organization would be created to support the arts program, and, with the generous support of the Seaside community, this has already been accomplished. The resulting nonprofit, called Escape to Create has already broadened its mission from being a month-long, artists-in-residence program to include year-round arts programming and education. We encourage you to support this well-respected and worthy institution.
The newly structured Institute will focus on what had evolved as a dual mission: To rediscover the tradition of placemaking and community-building and adapt it to present day and future problems and opportunities. This will be accomplished through debate at the highest level, education, collaboration and recognition for excellence.
The Seaside Prize and the Seaside Pienza Institute will continue, but new Institute programs are already in the works:
New Town Network (2011) will offer leaders in new towns across the country an organization to gather and exchange ideas.
Associates Council (2011) will offer younger (under 40 years of age) multi-disciplinary new urbanists a place to make their contribution in the field while being mentored by their elders. Let's find a better name:
The Fellows Forums will convene on topics such as incubator retail, agri-urbanism and town security in order to move new urbanism to the next level.
Two exciting seminars will also be announced in the coming months ? programs never held before! And these will be offered first to members of the Institute. You will not want to miss them.
Please keep the mission of the Seaside Institute alive by renewing your membership or making a year-end gift. Your tax-deductible donation is directly linked to the success of all of our programs and endeavors. Please give now as generously as you can. We need your help!
Diane Dorney
Executive Director
The Seaside Institute
�