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Any Interest in Forming Sarasota Downtown Arts Assn to Promote Galleries?

Rating: 5 after 1 vote

Seems to me that Sarasota is ripe for a downtown arts association similar to St. Pete's. It's not affiliated with city government. The membership is made up of representative from the city's art galleries located within a defined downtown area. The galleries pay dues to finance the printing of a gallery map/brochure and advertising to promote the monthly gallery walk. A loop trolley, which is also paid for by the association, transports art lovers from gallery to gallery all evening. Tourists love it. In Sarasota, the map/brochure would be devoted strictly to galleries, not dilluted with restaurants and other businesses who also open for the First Friday events. I'm a photographer who recently became affiliated with Art Uptown on Main Street. I was surprised to learn that an association devoted strictly to promoting the downtown art galleries doesn't exist. Is there any interest among gallery owners to get one started?

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Permalink Reply by Beverly A. Smith on October 6, 2008 at 8:29pm: I would be interested. I have a new studio/gallery in Towles Court which is a block down from Palm Ave. Towles Court Gallery Walk is the third Friday of every month.
I am certainly interested because the Towles Court Art Association was going to be printed in the DMA; Downtown Merchants Alliance, but, it fell threw. So now Towles Court will not be on the tourist map.
www.beverlyasmith.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Stewart on October 7, 2008 at 7:28am: Take a look at the St. Petersburg Downtown Arts Association website. It could be a good model for Sarasota. The site is at http://www.stpetearts.org/en/; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beverly A. Smith on October 8, 2008 at 5:41pm: great idea. Where do we start? I will e mail the St. Pete's site to Towles Court members and see if I can get feedback and a discussion going prior to our next business meeting, which is next week.

bev; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Stewart on October 9, 2008 at 8:45am: Discussing the idea with your fellow Towles Court members is an excellent start on the road to forming a downtown arts association to promote our galleries. The more people who learn about the idea, the better. I'll discuss it at the Arts Uptown meeting this month to get a buy in. If we start to build excitement, I'll check with the Sarasota County Arts Council on the possibility of an Arts Development grant to help finance the startup. At that point, we can go to the media to get some help fanning the flames.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rick Hughes on October 10, 2008 at 4:00pm: I am willing to secure a place to meet and put out a call for those interested in participating.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Stewart on October 10, 2008 at 4:24pm: Sounds good, Rick. I'll look forward to it. -- Richard; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rick Hughes on October 12, 2008 at 11:55am: Oh, I meant, let's discuss it and I will find the place once you have decided on what will take place, when, etc. I didn't mean that I'd just take over for you.... Rick

Richard Stewart said:
Sounds good, Rick. I'll look forward to it. -- Richard; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beverly A. Smith on October 12, 2008 at 11:36pm: This all sounds good to me. I will make copies of the St. Pete Art Assoc. details off their site and I will bring these copies to our Towles Court Meeting on Wednesday.
I will let you know how it goes.

bev
Rick Hughes said:
Oh, I meant, let's discuss it and I will find the place once you have decided on what will take place, when, etc. I didn't mean that I'd just take over for you.... Rick

Richard Stewart said:
Sounds good, Rick. I'll look forward to it. -- Richard; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Judy Dean on October 14, 2008 at 6:54am: Let me know how I can help - need PR/Marketing for this group? I can certainly send out press releases, etc. Let me know and good luck! Great idea!! Judy; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Stewart on October 14, 2008 at 7:13am: Help with publicity is welcome. First audience will be gallery owners, convincing them that every downtown art gallery needs to be onboard for this thing to reach its full potential.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Judy Dean on October 14, 2008 at 8:08am: Richard ... good idea - as you move along let me know what I can do to help! Seems like you're doing well with the numbers of responses you've gotten so far!! Great job!!!!! Judy

Richard Stewart said:
Help with publicity is welcome. First audience will be gallery owners, convincing them that every downtown art gallery needs to be onboard for this thing to reach its full potential.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beverly A. Smith on October 15, 2008 at 8:05pm: Hi,
After reviewing the St. Pete's Art Association today I decided that I don't see anything they are doing that we are not doing. I discussed this with the President of the Towles Court Association and the Treasurer. I do not think Towles Court would preside under a 'non-profit' premise, as we are, for profit. We don't do any outside volunteer program with young peole, we aren't education oriented, and we don't have a museum here to be part of our association. The only thing I could really see at this time that St. Pete has is the Trolley Car. I believe in the past Towles Court has used a Trolley Car in conjuction with other businesses in town to enable tourist to maneuver from one area to the next. Although Towles is pretty close to down town.
This does not mean that we are opposed to any ideas in the future. Towles Court is regrouping and making a strong come back. Several new galleries have opened within the last few months.

Let's keep the lines of communication open,

bev smith

and thanx for the motivation; ▶ Reply to This