Kintsugi and the Arts Center

There is an ancient Japanese art form called "Kintsugi", which is the process of repairing broken pottery with powdered gold. When a vessel breaks or shatters, it is not considered a waste or irreparable. Instead, Kintsugi treats the breakage and its subsequent golden repair as part of the history of the object, rather than something to disguise. The jagged lines are beautifully unique to each broken vessel, and once mended with the powdered gold, the final piece is stronger than it was before. In fact, the vessel becomes even more valuable due to its imperfections that cannot be replicated. It is not simply "good as new" with Kintsugi; it is "better than new." 

For those who have been following the journey of the performing arts center in Frisco, you may feel that the project has shattered to the ground and come to an end. When I wrote about the performing arts center exactly a year ago, it certainly was a different project than it is today. (You can read that blog here.)

However, though it may appear that the project has broken, I firmly believe in the power of Kintsugi to breathe new life. Rather than looking at the past as a waste of time or viewing the project as irreparable, we can choose to pick up the pieces, embrace the flaws, and artfully mend it into something stronger and more valuable than it was before. 

How?

I have several ideas, and you probably do too. 2023 will be an opportunity to re-envision this project, sharpen our pencils, and get questions answered. I mean, A LOT of questions answered. Here are just a few I have in order to make a data-driven decision on how to move forward:

• WHY: What is our "Why?" Why are we doing this project? What is the reason for its existence in Frisco? What problem are we trying to solve? This should inform everything we do. 

• WHO: Who are the consumers (the audience)? Who are the creators (the performers)? Are they locals only, or can Frisco support regional and national creators? Who are the private partners, and what do they need to get involved? What is the institutional makeup? Who are the proven experts that will help guide us? 

• WHAT: Now that FISD is no longer programming 50% of the calendar year for this project, what does a calendar year look like at the Frisco Performing Arts Center? What art forms can be supported? Is there room for greater advanced technology? Which local, regional, and national groups would be ready to sign on the dotted line to perform if this facility opened tomorrow? A performing arts center with no audience is not a success, so we must have a robust programming calendar. 

• HOW: What is the business plan? What is the M&O (maintenance and operations) plan? What is the real cost to build? What is the shortfall? How do we build for growth? How do we make it a commercially-viable, sustainable facility that will benefit the citizens of Frisco 30 years from now, not just today? We don't want to make the mistake of a building a facility that is obsolete the day it opens. 

These questions just scratch the surface, but in order for this project to be a true success, we must answer them all and more with data, research, and experts. We cannot proceed based on preference, politics, or passion. Instead, I propose we proceed with Kintsugi, learning to embrace flaws, imperfections, and brokenness as part of the process. In the end, we will have a project more beautiful than we ever imagined, and it will be uniquely ours. 

Reflections from a Drill Bit

 "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable." - Christopher Reeve

The last time I blogged about the performing arts center project in Frisco, it was December 17th, 2014. I was on the Citizen Bond Committee, advocating for $10 million in bonds towards an arts center. Frisco‘s attitude and enthusiasm for the arts was very different at that time. I honestly had no idea what would happen or whether the bond would pass. Was there a majority of people passionate about the arts and wanting to see something in Frisco? Or was this proposition dead on arrival? Thankfully, the citizens voted in favor, and the arts center project was resurrected. (You can read that blog here: The Arts in Frisco: Why the Controversy?

Between 2014 and 2021, the arts center went through a series of unpredictable roller coaster rides, full of ups and downs, wild twists and turns. It was all I could do to hold on when it felt like it would completely derail. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told this project is impossible for Frisco, and how many players came and went. But when I'm hit with a series of "no's", it only fuels me more to create ways to get to "yes," and find those who believe it as well. 

Finally in June 2021, a public-private partnership was formed with the City of Frisco, the Frisco Independent School District, and Craig Hall, the biggest arts champion for Frisco, to build an arts center. It will be at HALL Park, home to the Texas Sculpture Garden and across from the Dallas Cowboys HQ at the Star. This means that at the very entrance of Frisco, there will now be a visual corridor merging world-class sports and world-class arts. Absolutely incredible!

There’s much to celebrate about this partnership. It shows a strong desire by leadership to support the arts, and it represents a very unique opportunity to do something innovative not just for now, but for the future. It’s what Frisco does best- forge new paths and set the bar for others to follow.

To that end, the last six months have been about raising awareness and gathering hard data by experts to support the big vision. A dedicated team of arts advocates has left no stone unturned. Now that we've received the results of the 2021 Market Assessment and Feasibility Study, it's clear that this project has the potential to be a leader for the arts, not just in our city, but in the region and perhaps even the entire country. Why replicate what other cities have already done? That’s not the Frisco way. 

My interest in this arts center has always been as a resident, a taxpayer, and at the core, an artist. I’m a musician who has lived in Sports City USA for almost 20 years, and though my kids are almost all out of the nest, nothing would make me happier than to have a home for the arts in our city, a place where I can go (and where our kids can come back) to enjoy music, dance, theatre, and visual art from local to national talent.

There is a story in Frisco being written about the arts, and we’re about to enter into a new chapter. From 2014 - 2021, the arts center was the underdog, a lost foster child shuffled back and forth - but it is no longer. The arts center will now have a permanent home in Frisco. Design for the arts center is slated to begin in 2022, and all interested parties will be able to see what their investment could look like. Though I have no idea what the final home will actually be, the dream has moved from impossible, to improbable, to inevitable, thanks to the will of the people, the leadership, and the many supporters along this journey.  

As Larry Stockstill says, “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity.“ How will this story of the arts center ultimately end? I can’t wait for us to find out, and I look forward to walking into the building together on opening day. 

2022 UPDATE: Read the Frisco Enterprise article on the change in partnerships for the performing arts center here.

Why We Need the Arts During the COVID-19 Crisis (2020)

March 22, 2020 (12:12pm)

Recently, I attended a fascinating Food in Fashion show packed with hundreds of people eating, drinking, and viewing an incredible runway show of models wearing food-inspired clothing. It was a delicious collaboration of local designers and restaurants, featuring cilantro-fringed dresses, pizza dough corsets, gilded pasta necklaces, tortilla-encrusted bikini tops, and more. One model, wearing a stunning evening gown decorated with sparkling chocolate gems, even took a bite out of her milk chocolate clutch at the end! I left inspired, energized, and fully satisfied after feasting on all forms of creative arts.

I had no idea we'd enter into an arts famine just a few days later.

Like you, I'm reeling from the massive disruption to our daily lives due to the spread of COVID-19. I'm not used to empty grocery shelves, barren streets, working from home, homeschooling, and an encroaching fear of the unknown. The relentless news cycle talks of a situation that is worsening each day. Every industry has been hit hard with this global pandemic, and people's lives and livelihoods are equally threatened. I'm worried about my family, my parents and brothers in Illinois and New York who have gone into full lockdown mode, and I'm stressed about what this means for our future as a country. With people's essentials at stake- food, shelter, clothing, and health, the arts doesn't matter anymore to anyone . . . or does it?

I would submit that now, more than ever, the arts are essential for each of us.

In this new era of social distancing, the power of the arts helps us connect with others. We see videos of quarantined Italians on their balconies singing to each other, playing their instruments, and lifting their spirits through familiar melodies. Renown cellist Yo-Yo Ma is posting videos of performances using #songsofcomfort, asking others to join with him in sharing their musical talent to comfort others. The new Facebook group "Quarantined Cabaret" with 15K members and counting allows the diverse arts community to share their performances to inspire others and be inspired. Though all arts venues have closed, the pandemic has created a global audience, uniting the world through the power of the arts.

Where does that power come from?

Stephen Sondheim, American composer and lyricist, said, "Life is unpredictable. Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. That's why people love storytelling; there is a beginning, middle and end." The truth is, a the core of every art form is storytelling. When you engage in the arts, whether through movement, melody, monologue, or medium, you tell your story. Art is a direct channel into our thoughts, a lifeline into our hearts, and it is way for us to share the human experience together, not alone.

During this time when we are mandated to be "hunkered down" and self-quarantined, the arts are not an unnecessary luxury. They are in fact critical to our survival, our emotional well-being and mental health. Though it has been extraordinarily difficult for the arts community specifically to be the first to shut down in March 2020, I know we will all look back and see that without the arts, whether books, music, puzzles, games, movies, none of us would have survived quarantine. 

College Countdown: A Mother's Musings

In just a few days, our firstborn daughter Ellie will head to her freshman year at Baylor University in Waco, TX, double majoring in Cello Performance and Entrepreneurship. As we busily prepare for her departure from our home, I find myself going through random bursts of sadness, much like when I was actually pregnant with Ellie! My thoughts and feelings are a jumbled mess, I end up in tears doing the most mundane tasks like grocery shopping, and thus as always, I'm back to blogging as a cathartic way to deal with it all.

There are so many questions running through my mind. Is there a perfect way to say goodbye? Will she know how much she's loved and missed? How do you move from daily conversation to mostly texting and the occasional phone call? (And how did my parents deal with this issue before cell phones?!?!?) When do I cross the line of showing genuine care and concern to being an annoying helicopter mom? Have I done enough to prepare her to face the world? Will she be safe walking around campus? Who will be her new friends?

I still remember my first day of college at Northwestern University in the fall of 1993. Like Ellie, my parents lived relatively close by and from my perspective, it wasn't going to be a huge transition. I was excited to start this new adventure, and I really couldn't wait to redefine myself after my tumultuous high school years. I had written out my goals for college and was determined to fulfill every one. I went shopping for brand new clothes, purchased some fun things for my room, and was thrilled about the new technology called "email" that would allow me to stay in contact with friends. I met my roommate Keisha for the first time, a Jamaican model from Florida, and was relieved when we hit it off immediately. Once I was all moved in (and the ethernet connection was loudly chirping in confirmation), it was time to say goodbye to my parents. They teared up and I did too, but Keisha and I were headed to a dorm social event later that night so I tried not to let myself get too sad. Later that year, my mom told me how much she cried on the way home from dropping me off that day. I remember thinking, "Why? I was coming back to their church every Sunday to play the piano for service. What was there to miss?" Fast forward 26 years later, and here I am, finally able to empathize with my mom.

So why is the college countdown a big deal? Isn't she just 2.5 hours away? Honestly, I do feel a little foolish for being so emotional. But it's the reality that a huge chunk of history, 18 years, is coming to an abrupt close. Like the iconic Friends episode when Rachel moves out of Monica's apartment, simply put: "It's the end of an era." The precious little girl who grew up in our nest is leaving as a beautiful, independent woman. Of course I'm proud of the fine young lady she is, but there is no escaping the empty room when we come back home after dropping her off at Baylor. I'm sure I will sit on her bed and be somewhat pleased that the room is clean (finally!), but I know I'll strangely miss the mess, the sign of activity. No more piles of clay and color from her new accessories business. No more accumulating papers from school, or unfinished sketches on notepads. And the equilibrium will be off; dinner reservations out with the family will now be for 4, not 5. We won't hear Ellie's cello practicing anymore, and she won't be sitting at the kitchen table every day telling me about the things on her mind. I won't see all 3 girls chatting in Ellie's car after a midnight Sonic run for "sister time." Ellie will be forging a new life and new routines without us, and though it's only natural and to be expected, it's painful that I am no longer embedded as a daily part of the next chapter.

As a mother, it's not easy to juggle the extremes of joy and pain, gratitude and grief, laughter and tears, all at once. I'm flooded with memories of Ellie at different ages, from when I was literally the only source of sustenance she had on earth, to the many milestones we've celebrated. Mourning the loss of time is part of the process, and though it does mark the end of an era, it also ushers in a new one. What gives me comfort is that as Ellie has come into young adulthood, she has become a wonderful, sweet, and dear friend. She asks about my day, she wonders how I'm doing, she gets invested in the things I'm working on. We can talk about anything- from current events to politics to personal drama and everything in between. I love that new aspect of our relationship, and I'm hopeful it will only deepen with time. And we've already planned a special mom-daughter date in a few weeks to see John Mayer on tour, so there's something exciting for us to look forward to! (John's album "Room for Squares" came out when Ellie was just born; one of her first words was "Neon", so she's truly been a fan all her life!)

I will definitely miss having this girl at home with us, but I have to accept that it's no longer where she can stay. She needs to move on and venture out into the world, taking all the experiences of growing up in our household, whether good or bad, and making her own way. She's got to create her own mosaic of a life well lived, and it will be her journey to take. She knows I will always be her biggest fan and a safe place to fall when she needs me. So I'll put on a brave face when I say goodbye to her in a few days, and I hope someday she'll understand why I cried all the way home.

 

All Roads Lead To. . . Rockford, IL

Tonight was a difficult night. It was my Uncle John's memorial service, and our entire Suh family gathered from all over the United States to mourn his passing. Many tears were shed as we remembered his life and the impact he had. During the service, my cousin Steven (John's son) shared something that we all know to be true: if Uncle John had not boldly come from South Korea and settled in Rockford, IL, none of us would exist.

I honestly can't imagine what it would have been like to be in your 20's, heading to a foreign country, starting your own business, forging your way through school while having to learn a new language, and trying to convince your 6 brothers back in South Korea to join you. Yet Uncle John was determined, and as Steven shared, though he sometimes fell asleep on his way to work, he tirelessly pioneered a new path for his entire family. His restaurant, called "Uncle John's", was quickly becoming a huge success in Rockford, IL, well-known for its Swedish pancakes and innovative menu items. (Yes, a Korean restaurant owner making famous Swedish pancakes; Uncle John was always breaking conventions!)

You can still visit the restaurant in Rockford today!

My dad came next to the States to help Uncle John in the restaurant business. It was during one of his shifts as the manager that he met my mom,  a nurse who had come from South Korea on her own as well. She was living in Chicago at the time, but had come up to visit a friend who had moved to Rockford, and they chose to eat at the best place in town. The rest, as they say, is history.

My dad in front of Mary's Market, his first job in the States.

One by one, all the brothers came to join Uncle John in Rockford, IL to help with his wildly successful restaurant business, which had changed its name to "Aunt Mary's" and "Mary's Market." Eventually each brother got married and had children, with many of us cousins staying close to each other for years. Though we all started out in Rockford, IL, most everyone has moved to other parts of the country. We now have many Suh cousins, aunts, and uncles in California, Minnesota, Texas, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, and Indiana. And with the 3rd generation entering college (my daughter Ellie is the oldest in the 3rd generation), we will be even more spread out.

All the girl cousins

All the boy cousins

3rd Generation

Before the memorial service began, I had to smile when all the Suh brothers, without speaking a word to anyone, automatically sat in the front row together. The aunts filed into the 2nd row,  giving their husbands the space they needed, and the group of cousins took up the 3rd row. This is just the natural hierarchy of the Suh family; we define ourselves not only by each family unit, but according to the ranking order of the 7 Suh brothers. (Even the brothers refer to themselves as #1, #2, #3, etc. and the wives do as well.) There is a rare comfort that comes from this Asian tradition, one that we all readily accept and even celebrate.

As I sat in the pew during the service tonight, surrounded by my cousins and family, I cried not only tears of sorrow but also of joy and gratitude. I am thankful to Uncle John for the sacrifices he made to create a life in the States, and for the beautiful family that has grown from his American dream. There is so much love in this family, and it stemmed from the ability that John gave us to be together in the land of opportunity. Rest in peace, dear Uncle John. We will miss you.

Suh brothers: (L-R) Uncle Dave, Uncle Glenn, Uncle Tom, and my dad 

All the aunts and uncles

Top 5 Takeaways from #FriscoLEX18

From October 17-19, a group of 42 Frisco representatives traveled to Scottsdale, AZ for the Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Leadership Exchange trip. The goal was to learn best practices from a city of a similar size that has experienced the growth trajectory Frisco has. It was 3 days of learning, discussing, exchanging, breaking barriers, and frankly, a lot of fun.

Watch Frisco Chamber Promo Video

Represented in the inaugural group are the Mayor and city leaders, university representatives from 4 institutions, Bank of America executives (sponsors), FISD Superintendent and School Board President, media, developers, corporate leaders, technology experts, lawyers, and more. I was asked to attend as the representative of Arts and Culture as Executive Director of Frisco Association for the Arts.

Here are my Top 5 Takeaways from #FriscoLEX18.

1. Frisco is doing a lot of things right!

We had 2.5 days of a packed agenda, hearing from the Mayor of Scottsdale, the President/CEO of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, Assistant City Manager, traffic engineer, and multiple panels that focused on Innovation, Education, Entrepreneurism, Workforce Development, Business, and more. I have always been impressed with our city's forward-thinking in building a Smart City, and it shows through many of our leading initiatives and unique public-private partnerships in these sectors. The more I heard, the more I appreciated how much our city has already invested in each of these areas by making them priorities.

2. What is our identity?

One of the things that stood out to me was how both Frisco and Scottsdale leaders spoke about the identity of their respective cities. We referred to Frisco as "The Fastest-growing City in America," the "Best Place to Raise an Athlete," and "The #1 Place to Live" according to Money Magazine.

Scottsdale leaders across the board said "Arts and Culture are part of our DNA", they are the "13th Happiest City in the US", and that their identity is based on 4 things: "Arts and Culture, Healthcare and Medical, Technology, and Sonoran Desert," according to the Assistant City Manager.

Can I tell you how refreshing it was to hear that this city of roughly 250,000 proudly states that their core identity is rooted in arts and culture? It is what they are known for and what visitors expect in Scottsdale. The first artist community sprung up in Scottsdale in 1902, and there are now 40 arts galleries in Old Town Scottsdale. In 1985 they passed a percent for arts in their capital improvement projects (Frisco has done the same), but they also require a percent for art from all PRIVATE developments as well, which goes into the Public Art budget (WOW!). This has led to an abundance of public art near roadways, sidewalks, and every development you see.

The way that we speak about our cities reveals our priorities and what we value. I'm committed to helping our city add on the tagline someday, "Best Place to Raise an Artist," or "Sports and Arts City USA." There's no reason we can't aspire to be both as a well-rounded city.

Frisco already has an impressive public art collection of over 70 pieces, and we've just updated the new Public Arts Master Plan. We also have a percent for art, and we have multiple developers who believe in adding art to their developments without a mandate. We may be behind in arts venues, but we are NOT behind in talent, passion, and parents who have children invested in the arts. We have a thriving creative arts community that when mobilized and given a chance to succeed, can positively impact the quality of life for all and become part of the identity of Frisco, just as we saw in Scottsdale.

3. Creative Placemaking drives identity and tourism.

As the Scottsdale leadership spoke about their city, they kept referring to different districts in town: "The Arts District, the Entertainment District, the Museum District, the Fashion Square District, Old Town," and more. It was clear that Scottsdale has intentionally defined areas to tell a story of the community and highlight the strengths of each neighborhood. Their Scottsdale visitor's map outlines each district and describes the history of the place, the beauty of the place, and the culture of the place. This is the essence of creative placemaking, which contributes to their overall identity and drives tourism.

When I asked this question at our final debrief session, Frisco Development Services Director John Lettelleir shared that Frisco has recently adopted 5 distinct placemaking areas, though unnamed, in the new Downtown Master Plan. This can be accessed from the agenda of Tuesday October 16th's Council Meeting. This was one of the many benefits to the structure of the trip: being able to ask a question and having the right people there to answer.

4. It's time to focus on Arts in Frisco.

To my delight, we spent an entire half day focused on Downtown Revitalization and Arts and Culture. After visiting the Museum of the West, the Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, the Contemporary Art Museum, and hearing from Scottsdale Arts President/CEO, the Public Art coordinator, and the story of how Canal Convergence came together, one thing was crystal clear: Scottsdale has made an investment in the arts and they have no regrets.

Friends, this is the missing piece of the puzzle in Frisco. We've got to up our game for the arts, plain and simple. And it's not about the buildings themselves; it's about the mindset that the arts are valuable, that artists are important, and that "investing in the arts is not an either/or thing," as Gerd Wuestemann, President/CEO of Scottsdale Arts shared.

Also, the fact that we spent time touring the Performing Arts Center (PAC) as a group- not just select individuals, but with everyone, really shows how important this project is to our Frisco Chamber and city leadership. There was a time in Frisco (read previous blogs) where the discussion of a PAC would have resulted in further division and generating more ill-will than creative conversation. Now, the arts and an arts center project are embraced as a focus for our city, and though we have a lot of work to do before we get to the destination, it was an encouragement to see how far we've come.

5. Relationships are the secret sauce to everything.

It's one thing to know a person in their role and title; it's entirely another to interact outside of work and discover new things together. I had already met about 75% of the group through previous work-related meetings, but this trip created opportunities to connect, discuss, and relate with each other at a whole new level.

For instance, I learned that a rugby-playing lawyer is actually an arts advocate, who loves to sing country music and has children in the arts. After chatting at length with the Scottsdale leadership and discussing ideas on the bus ride back, we are exploring a project together that emulates one of Scottsdale's signature events, Canal Convergence. This is the kind of collaboration that may never have happened without this trip.

But most importantly, the biggest takeaway I learned that trumps all others is:

Brush up on your karaoke skills before you take a trip with the Chamber!! 

I may or may not have debuted as an Asian rapper at some point on this trip. (Sorry, no photos or videos. . . available to the public, that is.) #blackmail #please #culturalappropriation #poison #gangstaparadise  (#LEX18 is the Best Trip Ever!)

In all seriousness though, thanks to all at the Frisco and Scottsdale Chamber that made this trip happen. It was an honor to represent Frisco Arts and Culture, and I left with new friends, deeper relationships, and fresh ideas for Frisco's future.

A Creative Revolution in Frisco!

Something magical happened on Saturday, March 18th, 2017 in Frisco, TX. 

It was a beautiful, 75-degree evening, and about 4,000 people congregated outdoors at a football facility's outdoor pavilion on a Saturday evening. . . to watch the Dallas Opera's LIVE Simulcast of Madame Butterfly.

They started arriving around 5pm and brought lawn chairs, blankets, strollers, and my goodness, LOTS of kids!  Before the opera started, the children enjoyed face painting, butterfly crafts, games, behind-the-scenes interviews with KLUV's Jody Dean.  

As the sun began to set, the excitement and anticipation for the opening of the Opera was palpable.  Not a square inch was available on the football turf, and people were spilling onto the concrete to find a spot to sit.  

Then suddenly, projected on the big jumbotron, was the stunning, massive chandelier inside the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.  It truly felt like we were right there with our arts friends in Dallas.  We could hear the audience's chatter inside the Opera House, and the orchestra's instruments warming up.  

The announcer began speaking, and the chandelier slowly disappeared into the ceiling, as it does before every performance.  After the National Anthem was performed beautifully by the orchestra, the crowd cheered, and then everyone settled back into their blanketed seats and lawn chairs.  A hush came over the crowd; we were ready to step into another world, told through the art of musical storytelling.

As the opera began, I wondered, "Would people stay for at least the first act?  Would they be fidgety and bored?  Would they decide after 10 minutes they had tried enough?"  To my amazement, almost everyone sat in rapt attention.  The videography brought you close up on stage, so you could see every expression, emotion, and nuance of color.  The audience was quiet, respectful, and engaged.  And it was a vastly diverse crowd- young, old, single, married with kids, all walks of life and all cultures.  But this group came with a singular purpose; they had all chosen to give up their entire Saturday night to attend the Opera, and that's exactly what they did.  Almost all 4,000 people stayed for the entire 3 hours. 

What this event showed so clearly is the NEED, not just a want, for greater performing arts programming in Frisco.  I'm not talking Jimmy Buffett concerts, which are still great to have.  But entertainment is different from performing arts, which includes opera, symphony, choir, Broadway, and more.  The size of the audience at the Opera Simulcast in Frisco was the first tangible proof that if you build it, they will come.  Actually, they are already here!!

Frisco is known for its hotels, office parks, malls, sports facilities, and great schools.  But we CAN have more and expand the pie, bringing balance and something for everyone.  Someday, Frisco will be a destination for the ARTS, and I won't stop until we get there!