That core is beginning to diminish as they age. I don't see our younger audiences replacing them, and that's very frightening to me. There's a lot of competition for limited dollars - and attention. Movies are big business in the Valley, evidenced by robust crowds at Edwards Cinemas on Friday and Saturday nights. The grandeur of the Sierra beckons.
Videos are a cheap and lazy way to fill an evening.
The Valley doesn't have the greatest self image. There's this mentality in Fresno that to get something good you have to leave Fresno. Which is why the Lively Arts Foundation, which Mosier heads, has brought in such groups as the Dance Theater of Harlem and the Alvin Ailey Dancers. Negatives sound daunting. But deep down, arts lovers must be optimistic.