Artspace - Will It Work In Waukegan

[Danno]

Artspace - Will it work in Waukegan.

Ok, I know I'm going to be hit on this for being "negative" so give it your best shot.

I have some reservations that the Artspace project in the old Karcher Hotel will meet the high expectations that have been laid out for us all.

Artspace has had a good degree of success so far, they love to point out the success of their 27 heavily government subsidized properties, but checking the demographics of most of their past projects shows something quite different from the demographics of Waukegan. What works in council Bluffs Iowa or Portland Oregon may not necessarilly work here.

With this in mind here are a few things to watch for in the coming future of the project. According to Artspace, preference is given to "artists" with the definition of what constitutes an "artist" as follows: "We define the term “artist” broadly to include a wide variety of creative pursuits". What happens if there are not enough people who fit the definition of artist to fill the building. It is implied that non artists are then selected. There is currently a waiting list for Section 8 Housing according to the Waukegan housing Authority.

Will the Karcher become an ordinary Section 8 building? Afterall, Artspace does follow HUD affordable housing guidlines which can be highly anti discriminatory.


My supicions are not unfounded. Ive seen similar things falter because people fail ed to fully take into account the specific set of circumstances of the City of Waukegan.

Time will tell. I hope my suspicions are wrong.

[gmg77]

Thanks Danno, I wasn't aware of the plans for that building or ArtSpace inc. I'm not sure if it will fail or succeed, but an occupied building is better than an empty building any day regardless of artistic abilities of its tenants.

They already know how to use Photoshop. Look at all those lighted, unbroken/boarded windows. :lol:



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[pauljs75]

Maybe, who knows? The economy is somewhat stalled, but perhaps if they can market towards and attract enough Lake Forest and North Shore people who are insulated from what the rest of us are dealing with... :lol:

Anyhow I checked out the ArtWauk event on 3/11. Seemed busy enough for what it was. I'm definitely not in the buyer's market, but curious as to what kind of art community may already exist in this town. :ugeek:

I also heard back from the Dandelion Gallery, since I filled out one of the forms during the ArtWauk event. They're going to do some screening for potential members. One of the forms says $300 annual dues for members, and a long list of restrictions/conditions but not all are detailed. I'm still interested so I'll have to call in and ask. Also somebody there needs to do some better math, the alternate due payment schedules don't add up the same. :roll: I think I could float the quarterly starting out, but unless I'm able to sell some works on a regular basis - I'm a bit in the "starving artist" end of the market. I wonder if my current materials would be good enough for whatever they deem as "quality standards". (No lack of talent, just getting better supplies or having prints made puts me in a tight spot when there's no regular work. I'm also one of those weird artists that'll work or at least dabble with any media I can get my hands on, but my lack of funds limits some avenues of exploration.)

Funny thing is, I liked the stuff on display at the Dinosaur Tatoo Gallery and New Frontier a bit better. A little less hoity-toity, and more receptive to a broader audience. Was hoping to hear back from the one guy showing the circuit bending and iPad stuff at New Frontier, but forgot to get his business info when I gave him mine. (Hoping to get started on some projects hacking old electronics from the garage or perhaps doing some experimental computer stuff with FOSS music and 3D software. Doing it with people I know from somewhere besides the internet might be more fun. As far as some creative FOSS goes, I'm also willing to educate anybody with an interest at little or no cost.)

I'm wondering if I should start a separate thread about the whole ArtWauk thing, since that stuff isn't quite Artspace. However it is closely related, and I could see lumping all the city art promotion things together until there's more discussion on the topic or more events unfold.

[Simonsays]

If you do want to help the Karcher Hotel Artspace Lofts

There is a 5$ a person Campaign going on right now.

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