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CULTURAL CENTER Cultural and entertainment activities bring people together downtown and fuel the imagination and creative soul of our city. Downtown Eugene is rich in cultural and entertainment events. Programs at the Hult Center attract visitors from all over the region. The Saturday Market and Farmers' Market bring residents and visitors to the Park Blocks, and tens of thousands of people attend yearly events such as the Eugene Celebration and Eugene First Night. Other events and locations include downtown theaters, restaurants, and art exhibits. These activities are as much a part of downtown Eugene's identity and character as the local weather. Ours is a creative, unique community, a city that takes itself seriously but not too seriously. To maintain this identity, attitude and market cache, the City will encourage and accommodate an inviting variety of creative activities and venues. The City will reinforce downtown as a destination for all ages, from January to December. Visual and Performing Arts The arts community in Eugene is creative and enthusiastic, visible and vocal. Numerous arts activities are downtown, including local arts at the Saturday Market, gallery exhibits, monthly First Friday art walks, street performances and theatre performances. Special events such as the Mayor's Art Show, the Salon des Refuses, and the occasional tuba concert complement ongoing work of artists, writers, even instrument makers. These activities reinforce downtown as a creative, distinctive place, with people coming together to exchange ideas and share results. Downtown needs to be a place for the production and display of artistic endeavors. An art museum, an idea still in its conceptual stages, could be a key cultural venue for Eugene's center. Studio spaces and places for live performances are encouraged, as are live/work units in and near downtown. This plan also promotes arts activities in the special places downtown. Local History History is an important part of the cultural heritage and identity of downtown. Many buildings of historic importance are located within the traditional grid of downtown streets. Many older structures are key downtown locations, such as the former Ax Billy Building, now the Downtown Athletic Club, and Swift Company Poultry Plant, now the 5th Street Market. Many of the open space areas adjacent to downtown provide active and passive educational activities related to our local cultural and natural history. Skinner Butte Park, for example, includes the land once claimed by Eugene Skinner. This park has been used for decades as a living classroom for local history and plant diversity. The rich Native American history of this area is illustrated by the Kalapuya Talking Stones, in the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park. 31