Consider:
- Portland Population: ~568,380
- Spokane Population: ~202,900
If my math is correct, why with only 2.8 times the density does Portland seem to have ten times the artists, independent designers, street theater projects, fashion boutiques, experimental gallery spaces, garage bands, music festivals, and conceptual media makers?
IT JUST ISN’T FAIR!
We all know that birds of a feather flock together, but I see no reason for Spokane to leave itself out in the “creative class” cultural cold. Spokane has a lot of potentially great stuff going on in a variety of semi-underground venues, but nothing collective has yet announced itself on the larger stage of city wide awareness.
So let’s do our own art/music extravaganza, Spokane style, on a Spokane scale!
Basic Script: A one-night showing of all of Spokane’s young artists paired with a concert in a centrally located non-traditional space.
Stage: The Vault at 120 N. Wall in Downtown Spokane
- Proprietor: Tom Stiriz
- Spokane Art Commission Liaison: Karen Mobley
- Live Radio Broadcasting: KYRS Thin Air 92.3FM
- Podcast Coverage: Remi and Stefan
- Program Zine: Dreyer Press
- Art Show Curator/Coordinators: Ginger Ewing, Ben Mitchell, Luke Baumgarten
- Gallery Layout Manager: Ben Mitchell, Kasey
- Possible Artists: Mariko Sullivan, Justin Aerni, Marcia Dukes, Ruben Villarreal, Lydia Quinn, Daniel Ryan, Tim Biggs, many many more!
- Photographers: Rajah Bose etc.
- Designers: Brandon Roosa, Aaron Schaber
- Booking Agent: Platform Booking
This kind of thing is a frequent occurrence in cities like Portland and Seattle and Vancouver B.C. By simply pooling our resources and time we could have a similar thing in Spokane, but with a little more magic. People around here tend to be a lot less jaded with this kind of event, and for many it may well be a first. Just because we’re in a rain shadow doesn’t mean we have to live in a culture shadow as well!
Tags: 7 Comments
7 responses so far ↓
This idea reminds me of a creative space that opened in Portland the year I left (2003). It was called “The New Space” and featured a dark room, gallery space and other random stuff. It was not far from the river, on the east side, Hawthornish. A guy named Chris started it.
Does anybody know whether it remains?
Heard of the concept of “Brain Drain”? Spokane has it’s share of Artists, movers, shakers,dreamers and schemers. They moved to Portland after they finished college, and if they come back, it’s to raise kids. Just like “The rich get richer”, the artistic community flocks to where it is already established. Don’t worry, Portland and Seattle where commodity towns 30 years ago, like Spokane is now. With any luck, our nacent scene will blossom into it’s own. Think how Carmel, CA, has an art’s based economy, despite it’s proximity to larger, more established scenes.
On that note, we are just passing the buck. I know people that move to Spokane for the culture because they come from, oh, say Euphreta. I know people that lived in Seattle to move to San Fran, in search of more culture. To an extent, it just keeps people employed and money in circulation.
Oh, have you given our chum, Jim Koch a call? He is used to doing bigger shows, but his experience in the matter would be invaluable. i have his number.
I’m with you. Contact me
it’s hard to establish an art scene when it’s already established to be a disappointment. The Object Gallery, the art gallery across the street, and a local magazine is a collection of artists trying to spark an art community in the shadiest part of Sprague. but that’s why it’d be so great for art! because it is shady and hidden. for example, the Object is in an old kick boxing building. That’s what the art culture is based on; Raw and spontaneous! Instead of boxed up and presented in a clean package, served on a tray of parking meters and styrafoam packing peanuts. I think only artists understand that.
This idea, unlike many of the other more fanciful suggestions on Spovangelist.com, is actually getting implemented this fall. An enormous amount of enthusiasm on behalf of a broad network of supporters, volunteers and allies promises to deliver quite the experience for this year’s annual Art Walk Tour on October 3rd.
Please email spovangelist@spovangelist.com if you are interested in getting involved.
[…] to roll up our sleeves and implement a few of our more attainable concepts. The first of these, a Young Artist Symposia & Music Show, was a wild […]