Joan Mondale applauds Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County

Former vp's wife is chairing Six Days in November

By: Ken Keuffel | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: November 19, 2009

By Ken Keuffel
JOURNAL REPORTER
Joan Adams Mondale, an accomplished potter who championed fine arts while her husband Walter was Vice President of the United States, saluted Winston-Salem yesterday for founding the country's first arts council 60 years ago and expressed optimism for the role that arts might play in Winston-Salem's future.
"You have every right to call Winston-Salem 'The City of Arts and Innovation,'" she said, speaking at a luncheon in the Embassy Suites Hotel. "Just because you've always been out front … doesn't mean that you've grown complacent with your past achievements. On the contrary, you're a very young 60 years, and you're full of vision."
The luncheon was one of several performances and events in "Six Days in November," for which Joan Mondale is serving as honorary chair. The centerpiece of "Six Days" is the Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair, which the Mondales will open Friday. The fair will run through Sunday.
Over the next decade, 14 bridges on Business 40 and elsewhere will be replaced, and citizen groups are advocating for design that will enhance Winston-Salem's image as "The City of Arts and Innovation." Several speakers at the luncheon recalled Joan Mondale's leading role in securing funding for art and design in other Department of Transportation projects.
"You and many others are positioning yourselves for the future," she said. "Bridges are useful to drive over, provided they're strong and gorgeous."
kkeuffel@wsjournal.com
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