The dark side of having so many activities pursued at such a high level is
splintering, the danger of whole groups turning inwards, each
concentrating
on their activity and losing touch with the others and therefore with the
whole.  It's the nature of things that people will find a favorite
activity
and make it their first priority; it becomes a problem when they make it
their *only* activity.  I don't want to see Carolingia become an early
music group, an early dance society, a fencing school, a martial arts
group, a couple of theater troupes, a cooking circle, a hurley club, etc.,
etc. with nothing in common but Council and the Coronet - and I'm not
saying it will happen.  But there's tendencies in that direction already.
<p>
I can see some things already that the Coronet could do about it, that
Gwendolyn and I would consider doing: regularly visiting all different
groups, guild meetings, and practices - not just dropping in, but getting
to know the people and the activity, and actively giving the participants
a
feeling of their context within the goings-on of the whole barony.
Encouraging special events that get several different groups working
together, like the ballet de cour at the February event.  Encouraging
guilds to hold "open houses," or some sort of function bigger and more
open
than a regular meeting / practice, but different from an in-persona
baronial Event.  Providing public recognition of activity through more
means than the existing baronial Orders, especially in court.  In general,
using the position and prominence of the Coronet to promote synergy in
many
and different ways.
