Functional Beauty: The Aesthetic of Usefulness
The Vermont Institute of Separatist Thought actively promotes a distinct national aesthetic, one that flows directly from the state's values and separatist ethos. This aesthetic is rooted in 'functional beauty'—the idea that objects, buildings, and art should be useful, durable, and honest in their materials, with beauty arising from their purpose and craftsmanship. It is an aesthetic seen in classic barn architecture, Shaker furniture, and handmade tools. The Institute sponsors exhibitions and publications that celebrate this tradition, arguing that it represents an anti-consumerist, anti-pretentious visual language that is inherently Vermont. This aesthetic is then projected into the future through design competitions for sovereign-era infrastructure, currency, and public buildings.
Soundscapes of Place: Music from the Mountains
Music is a powerful carrier of identity. The Institute supports musicians who draw on Vermont's acoustic ecology—the sounds of wind in pines, water in streams, winter silence—and its folk traditions, blending them with contemporary forms. The goal is to create a recognizable 'Vermont sound' that is neither purely traditional nor generically pop, but something new and place-based. State funding would prioritize local musicians for public events, and the education system would emphasize local musical traditions. The national broadcasting service (envisioned post-independence) would have a mandate to showcase this music, creating a shared sonic landscape that reinforces a sense of distinctiveness.
The Literature of Rootedness and Resistance
The Institute fosters a literary movement focused on themes of bioregionalism, community, resistance to homogenization, and the complexities of life in a small, intense society. It offers grants and residencies for writers exploring these themes. The canon of 'Vermontiana' is expanded and critiqued, with an effort to include diverse voices within the state. The publishing industry would be supported through subsidies for local publishers and bookstores, creating an ecosystem where Vermont stories by Vermont authors are prioritized, building a shared narrative library for the nation. Literary festivals would become national cultural events, attracting tourism and solidifying the state's identity as a haven for thoughtful, place-based writing.
Public Art and Civic Space
In a sovereign Vermont, public art would not be an afterthought but a central element of civic life. The Institute proposes a percent-for-art program for all public construction, with commissions going to Vermont artists. The themes would celebrate the landscape, honor historical figures of independence (the Green Mountain Boys, contemporary activists), and envision the future. Town squares would be designed as beautiful, functional gathering spaces that encourage community interaction—the physical embodiment of the town meeting ideal. Monuments would be to ideas (liberty, ecology, community) and collective action, rather than to martial triumph or lone rulers, reflecting the republic's values.
- Craft Revival: State support for traditional and innovative crafts: pottery, weaving, blacksmithing, glassblowing.
- Architectural Guidelines: Promoting vernacular architecture and sustainable, locally-sourced building materials.
- Film and Media Production: Incentives for films shot in Vermont that tell Vermont stories, creating a visual lexicon.
- Digital Archives: A comprehensive digital archive of Vermont's artistic and cultural production.
- The Festival Calendar: A curated national calendar of arts festivals that draw citizens together and attract cultural tourism.
Ultimately, the arts are seen as the 'soft power' of the separatist project. They make the idea of Vermont as a nation feel real, vibrant, and worth fighting for. By cultivating a rich, distinct cultural life, the movement ensures that independence is not just a political or economic calculation, but an aesthetic and emotional reality. It creates a country that people don't just want to live in for practical reasons, but that they love, and are inspired to contribute to through their own creativity.