NEWS & EVENTS

Knotek: CVP could play a big role in keeping local fine arts initiatives going strong
By Mike Christopherson, Managing Editor
Crookston Daily Times

Young people must have numerous options available to them in the arts
April 23, 2004 - Dale Knotek was invited to the Nov. 1 (2003) Crookston Vitality Project retreat at the Northland Inn largely because of his work over the years with Wellness Works to promote healthy living. But Knotek is also a huge proponent of promoting the fine arts in the community, and he spent as much time at that retreat talking about music, theater and dance as he did healthy lifestyles.

“But I think you can make an argument that the two are related,” he said. “I think that’s what could be really good about the Vitality Project, bringing things that are different to the same table and then realizing that you have more in common than you originally thought.”

Knotek has been involved for years with the Valley Crossing Arts Council, which has roots dating back to the 1970s when a local attorney incorporated it as a nonprofit to promote and further the fine arts in Crookston.

“It exists today for essentially the same reason, and I think that shows how important the mission is,” Knotek said.
Jim Kent, retired music teacher for the school district and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota, Crookston teaching music methodology to early childhood education majors, is the current president of Valley Crossing Arts Council.

The Council is sort of an umbrella organization that helps further the efforts of the Civic Music League, Crookston Artist Series, Crookston Community Theater, Mary Noel School of Dance, UMC’s Music and Theater Department, and the Fine Arts Boosters that arose in Crookston’s Public Schools to maintain fine arts educational offerings.
“In Crookston, all those organizations pretty much make up our team, and we think it’s a strong one,” Knotek said. “We help to promote each other and we sponsor each other.”

He believes that people don’t think often enough about the big picture in Crookston when it comes to the fine arts. “They usually think about this concert, or that recital, or this play,” Knotek said. “But if you allow yourself to think about all these things on the whole, you’re talking about a major, major impact on this community.”

“Look at how many kids Val Buchmeier has coming out for orchestra at the high school, and all the dancers at Mary Noel’s school,” he said. “Look at what George French does at UMC. And all the figure skating is kind of a new one to us, but it’s all part of what we’re trying to do. And the neatest thing lately has been all the young people who have gotten their start here and they are moving on to some fairly prestigious programs that get national attention.”

And he believes the Crookston Vitality Project can only help to further things along even more.

“Anything we can do to offer even more marvelous opportunities to our young people, the Valley Crossing Arts Council is all for it,” he said. “I think when you add it all up, we have a fairly high profile because we’re constantly promoting some type of performance in this community, many of which feature our young people. I’d like to see the Vitality Project help us get people to appreciate all we have going in the fine arts in this community, because sometimes, especially when I see the lack of attendance at wonderful UMC performances, I wonder if everyone knows.”