The buzz is that Richmond is looking at Art Districts. John Bryan from Cultural Works has facilitated discussions with the various artsy areas in Richmond. This started in January 2010 with a meeting at Quirk Gallery on Broad Street where 30+ people attended to hear Theresa Cameron discuss successful and unsuccessful art districts.
Just Build It! Not Really...
What I brought away from that meeting was you can't just "build one and then they'll come". Why not? Well, the entire community needs to be involved and included. All businesses and residents of an area should be represented, protected and have a voice. By protected, I mean - avoiding a Soho repeat, where the work of the art district increases the value of property to such an extent that the artists and businesses can't afford to stay and pay the taxes. So the city protects the business by virtue of tax control and the business bring revenue to the area by virtue of tourism, community commerce and so forth....
Artsy Areas Gather Concensus
The various artsy areas in Richmond: Broad Street, Court End, Valentine Richmond History Center, Church Hill, Robinson Community Theater Arts Center, Main Street, Manchester, Museums on the Boulevard, Maymont and Shockoe Bottom - went away and met with their communities to answer 15 questions. (The artsy areas are a little fuzzy to me, just because I might not have them all defined...but that's the best I can do...)
The 15 questions are listed below along with the comments from the folks in the Manchester area.
Manchester Answers the Questions
Paula and I at Art Works hosted the April 1st meeting to discuss Manchester. It was such a lovely day that it was really hard to not go home and enjoy the weather but thanks to those who did come sit in the gallery and spend the time to discuss Art Districts.
Talk and Action
On April 15th, John Bryan called a follow-up meeting to review findings of each area that met with the community at large. It was a great meeting with 30 participants.
An Ordinance Underway!
What I took away from this meeting is: There is an ordinance being drafted for art district specifications for the city. Each art area needs to review the ordinance and add to it, modify it to meet their specific needs. Then these various renditions compiled into a comprehensive ordinance that allows for implementation and growth by any art area in Richmond.
Branding - What's in a brand?
We also discussed marketing and branding. What is an art district? Branding is not so much a description of the components of an art district but rather the concept - its essence - what you want people to think about when they think - Richmond art and culture. Now that's a challenge! But fun.... Your thoughts?
The rest of this post is the answers to the 15 questions by Manchester...... FYI.
On April 1, 2010 representatives from Manchester met at Art Works to discuss the proposal for an art district. Here are the questions posed and ideas from the group. For clarification on these minutes, please contact Glenda Kotchish or Paula Demmert at Art Works (804 291.1400) or glenda@artworksrichmond.
The group would like a definition of Hub and Spokes. Is the city the hub and the spokes the districts? Is one particular area the hub and the other areas spokes. See #15 for ideas about names.
Thoughts for Individual Geographic Areas to Consider
1. What are the arts/culture entities in our geographic area?
Crittenden Gallery
Artspace
Art Works
Plant Zero
12 12 Gallery
Adorn Gallery
Russell Project
New Manchester Flats Art Studios
Bainbridge Art Center
2. What might be the arts/culture theme or title for our area?
· Manchester Arts District MAD
· Old and New MAD
The group enthusiastically came up with names for the other “spokes” such as VMAD for Virginia Museum Arts District and BAD for Broad Street Arts District!
3. What might be our precise geographic footprint?
We had a map that includes all of Manchester from Jeff Davis to the River.
4. What are the for-profit businesses in our area?
This list is not complete. A review of the Richmond City Tax Assessors records would provide a comprehensive list.
· SAVOR
· Legends
· Bankuet
· Croaker Spot
· 3 North Architects
· Grace Street Design
· Circle S Studio
· Plant Zero Café
· Plant Zero
· Papa Pizza
· Warehouse 201
· Scoot Richmond
· TIG (Tech Integration Group)
· Burger King
· Macdonalds
· CRT
· Manchester Pie Factor
· Manchester Flats
· Fountain Head
· Gregory Kaplan Law Firm
· W. M. Jorda
· Parachute Facotr
· Caravates
· Justin French Condos
· Southern States Building
5. Who are the property owners in our area?
This list is not complete. A review of the Richmond City Tax Assessors records would provide a comprehensive list.
· Fountain Head
· Justin French
6. Who are the potential financial partners for our area?
· Sun Trust Mortgage
· UPS
· Fountain Head LLC
· Lewis Plumbing
· CITGO
· Southern States Building owners
7. Who are the potential developers that ARE be interested in our area?
· Fountain Head LLC
· Justin French
· Sam Macdonald
8. What is the process to assure that all of the voices in our area are able to be heard?
· Meetings, forums, mailings
· Facebook usage
· Google mail list process
· Collective ear
9. What the process to engage our area’s Councilmember?
Ellen Robertson was invited to the meeting but did not attend. Perhaps a one-on-one meeting to engage her would be successful.
10. What “soft” incentives, amenities, stimuli might the City of Richmond provide to our area? (“Soft” means things that don’t affect the City’s budget.)
· Include MAD in newsletter
· Website links and calendars
· Include MAD in regular printing of brochures (e.g. Pine Camp brochures)
· Community TV
11. What other incentives/amenities/stimuli might the City of Richmond provide to our area? (Be practical given the current fiscal challenges and constraints. But also be creative and inventive!)
· Tax breaks
· Marketing support TV, radio etc.
· Marry history AND arts
· Bill boards, bus ads
· Public art expenditures by LOCAL artists
· Lights
· Sidewalks
· Implement Master Plan for Manchester
· Clean streets
· Allocate space for sculpture park and art park
· Funds for murals on unsightly structures
· Graffiti wall outlet
· Shuttle and Trolleys from downtown and back
12. What are other needs of your geographic district (needs that might be filled by resources other than the City)?
· NGO (non-government organizations)
· Enrichmond (Earth Day Festival continuance)
· Ampitheater – Mayo Island
· Picnic area
13. What is the process for our area to speak with a unified voice, to focus on common needs, to have a leadership person/committee?
· Coffee shop and morning meetings
· Connect with groups and associations that have memberships (e.g. Old Manchester Alliance and Cultural Works)
14. What are some collective needs/services that might simultaneously benefit the hub and all of the spokes? (Common ticket, brochure, banners, etc.?)
· Website development and general marketing
15. What’s a sexier name than “hub-and-spokes”?
· Web vs Hub (since the center of the hub is perceived as the most important component whereas in a web all parts connect and are important)
· Wheel, collective, grid
· RICH ART – description of all locations (RVA Art, ART CITY)
· Note that SCAT in Savannah encompasses the whole city successfully
· RAD – Richmond Arts District
