More on arts production vs. arts as consumption

Goner Records in Memphis is home to rare vinyl. Photo: Lance Murphey for The New York Times

A couple interesting articles that I have been meaning to write about. The Toronto Globe & Mail has an interesting story on the state of theater in Toronto, "The Windy City is blowing Toronto away," contrasting what is happening in places like Chicago, which are known to be more creative centers for theater development and production.

The Los Angeles Times has a somewhat interesting article about the decline of the arts in Pasadena, in "A shifting canvas in Pasadena," a city known for having one of the most thriving arts communities of its size. Over the past few years, orchestra companies have merged, and a 90 year old theatre company has disbanded ("Final curtain for the Pasadena Playhouse -- for awhile, at least"). This to me is a story about ever increasing competition, and the need to always be expanding and developing audiences.

A couple weeks ago in the Travel section of the New York Times there were articles on Memphis ("Next Stop - An Indie Music Scene in Midtown Memphis") and Paris ("In Paris, Art Fills the Void"). The Memphis article specifically covered the range of factors necessary to support a functioning arts district in terms of both artists and consumers (places to live, places to practice, places to play, supporting institutions such as instrument stores, instrument makers, record shops, etc.).

And the Paris story discusses how the French government has an active program in taking over "artist squats" and keeping them as arts-based properties, rather than their being converted to other enterprises. From the article:

Previously owned by the Crédit Lyonnais bank and then abandoned, the six-story, mid-19th-century Haussmann era building (59, rue de Rivoli, First Arrondissement; no phone; 59rivoli.org) was taken over by a group of young rebellious artists in 1999. Despite or possibly because of its illegal status, tourists soon came flowing in to see their work.

In 2006, as part of a citywide effort to legitimize popular but technically illegal art venues, the space was bought, closed and renovated by the Paris city hall for 10 million euros (about $12.1 million). It reopened in September 2009, and today serves as studio space for 32 resident artists. It is also the site of biweekly exhibitions of art solicited on its Web site.

All over town, similar spaces are being bought and renovated to comply with safety regulations. After that, a specially tailored agreement designed by the city allows selected squatters to stay in exchange for a minimal rent — as low as 1 euro a day — and the promise of continuous work that the public can access.

In the DC-Baltimore region, because Baltimore has such a big inventory of underused buildings (see the discussion of Jane Jacobs on how a large stock of old buildings is necessary in cities to support innovation and creativity) it functions more as a center for creative development in the arts than does DC. However, both places lack decent sized "audiences" except that DC's audiences trend towards the consumption of institutionally-oriented art.

Still the Strathmore Arts Center in Montgomery County recognizes the need to broaden its ability to reach different audiences, and is programming Friday night events for demographics that typically would not consume Strathmore events.

Some past blog entries on the topic:

-- More on arts "districts"
-- Art, culture districts, and revitalization (based on a presentation to the annual conference of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas)
-- A clustering approach to the management of civic assets
-- Theater in DC
-- Do it Yourself Culture #5
-- B'more vs. DC in Do it Yourself culture #1