Culture OC Marks Three Years with Call for a Healthier Arts Ecosystem

As Culture OC, an independent nonprofit newsroom covering Orange County's arts, enters its fourth year, managing editor Heide Janssen reflects on what constitutes a healthy arts ecosystem. Drawing parallels with the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, Janssen argues that the arts community is an interdependent system where the health of each part affects the whole. She cites John Holden's 2015 report 'The Ecology of Culture,' which describes culture as 'an organism not a mechanism' and emphasizes non-hierarchical relationships. Janssen identifies the various components of the ecosystem: artists, organizations, teachers, arts councils, volunteers, universities, donors, critics, marketers, community groups, and audiences. She critiques the siloed nature of arts organizations, where scarcity fosters competition and neglect of the bigger picture. She poses two key questions: 'What can I contribute to the health of the ecosystem?' and 'What do I need from the ecosystem?' Janssen suggests that arts journalism may serve as a 'keystone' species, similar to wolves, whose presence or absence has cascading effects. She calls for intentional investment in the ecosystem, beyond immediate returns, and encourages readers to consider what their arts ecosystem needs to thrive. The article was published on September 2025, marking the third anniversary of Culture OC's founding.