On the Arts as a City Developer

I want to vamp on something here:

This is a finished project at Trinity School in Midland, new to campus this year. I was teaching a long-time student, and we were walking on campus toward our cars:

"Oh! Do you want to see the mural I helped paint?"

We basked in the beauty of it for a bit, I asked questions about the process, and we spoke about his satisfaction with the product. For him, it's a point of pride, but I presented a new idea:

"This makes me want to play here."

"Oh! Yeah?"

"Well, think about it. Acoustically, it would be fun to play trombone in this alley. But if I set down, unpacked my case, and started to play loudly before this art existed, I would just be a creepy guy doing something really weird. NOW if I played in here, it's a highlight and statement on the art."

Projects like the Trinity mural have been sprouting for years all over the cities of Midland-Odessa:

Yep, a rare sighting of my son!

My wife took this picture over this past weekend while I was out of town. She made it a point to go visit the spot after seeing it on social media. Ironically, I saw it via a different social media post while on my way back to Midland-Odessa late Sunday night. Even though it was completed months ago, there seems to be a bit of buzz!

Did you know that the Ector Theater has a state-of-the-art lighting system? Heck, did you know that the Ector Theater in Odessa has been renovated? On a date night two weekends ago, my wife and I were able to enjoy live music at Torchy's Tacos, walk over to see Treaty Oak Revival open at the Ector Theater, take the break to enjoy a solo guitar in the Odessa Marriot Hotel & Conference Center, then walk back into the Ector for the start of Shane Smith & the Saints. It was an absolute blast! If you haven't been there yet, you need to go see it yourself (https://www.theector.com/ ).

"So what's your point?"

The arts DEVELOP.

For a student at Trinity, the arts develop pride, memories with friends, and an appreciation for a planned process. For a city, the arts develop our community in a mural designed by our youth. For the local economy, the arts develop a 'place'.

These are just the latest examples - in my small world - of how I am witnessing the arts revitalize a city that I now call my home. It adds vibrancy and life. It inspires more creativity. It gives a feeling of positivity. Most importantly, it makes me want to be in the city.

A few months ago, I heard a public official say something that seemed similar to this:

'When I look at my city, I see empty buildings. I see vacant lots begging for business, but no one wants to buy them. For those that do set up shop, no one wants to be there to visit them. I have to ask, 'How do we get people in our communities to go to these areas? How do we get them to embrace the economic opportunity? How do we get them back in our towns?'"

To me, the answer is staring us right in the face, and it's moving ahead in inches the best way that it can. How can we as a community greater understand this inherent value and bring it to the forefront to help it move ahead even more? Our city development depends on it.

Some sources for you of works referenced:

• Artworks Midland Mural

  • https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/local/bringing-some-color-to-the-tall-city/513-0d446d6d-9a9c-4846-8e51-fb0388a1c415

  • https://www.mrt.com/entertainment/arts-theater/article/Artworks-Midland-creates-new-mural-with-youth-15922752.php

• Involving my trip to downtown Odessa:

  • https://www.mrt.com/entertainment/article/Ector-Theatre-is-revamped-and-ready-to-entertain-16085090.php

  • https://www.wtjs.org/ (Pertaining to the music in the Marriot lobby).

• This guy gets it:

  • https://www.mrt.com/insider/article/Midland-and-Odessa-mayors-discuss-development-16125265.php