Thank you!

Maggie Houston

I’m trying to get in touch with Cassie Hassel. I saw a couple of her paintings and I really love her work! Please feel free to email me if you have any information.

Thank you!

Erin Rabideau

Thank you,

Annette Williams

Business of Art: Community Conversations
August 14, 2007 – ARTS/West, Athens, OH

Challenges Suggested by Attendees:

1. Drafting useable legislation for arts policies
a. Advocacy of “Percent for the Arts” program, where any revenue-generating county development would secure 1% of it’s budget for arts usage.
2. Sales
a. “Poetry doesn’t sell”
3. Marketing
a. How to make your art an appealing product? Suggestions included:
i. Performance Series, integrating poetry, dance, performance
ii. Literary Festival
iii. Partnerships between artists of different media
4. Promotion
a. How do I get the word out about my product/project?
i. Maggie Weston suggests approaching Ohio University to serve as agent – University gets commission instead of private agent, thereby making them more willing to help
5. Value of Art/Perception
a. How do I make the value of art clear to public/legislators?
i. Educating the consumer – through festivals, consortiums?
ii. Suggestion of artists participating in Athens Chamber’s Business Fair on September 8th – help the public think about arts as viable sources of revenue
6. Publicity
a. How do we encourage participation?
i. Publications/Newsletters
ii. ArtofOhio.com
7. Tourism
a. How do we entice the tourism boards to promote Athens as an arts community?
i. Need a way to guarantee numbers to entice hotels/restaurants to sponsor – they want hard numbers, not estimates
8. Public Perception – Keeping focus LOCAL
a. What makes other arts communities (like Asheville) successful? How can we create a model after those communities and make it work for Athens?
9. Cohesion
a. How can we get Athens artists of diverse mediums (2D, 3D, musical, kinetic, theatrical) to work together toward this common goal?
10. Rural Problems/Economy
a. How do we combat economic barriers to artists and arts participants?
i. Ticket Price
ii. Price of Materials – Suggested an arts supply buyers co-op
11. Space
a. How do we help artists find space for exhibitions/performance and encourage attendance?
Resources suggested by Attendees:

1. The Athens Chamber Business Fair September 8 – a chance for artists to exhibit themselves like businesspeople to the community.
2. ACEnet – Appalachian Center for Economic Development
3. ArtofOhio.com – can be an electronic gallery
4. eBay Foundation
5. Athens County Public Library System – including “Artist of the Month”
6. Nelsonville Public Library
7. Hocking Valley Bank – major sponsor of arts activities
8. Athens News – promotional opportunities (primarily for musicians)
9. JK Publishing – promoting poets and spoken word artists
10. Donkey Coffee – opportunities for performance (music and spoken word, potential for theatre/dance) and 2D artists
11. Pharao’s Hookah Bar
12. Casa Nueva – musicians, performance, 2D and 3D exhibition space
13. Oak Room and
14. Coffee Cup – both provide space for artists to display/sell
15. O’Betty’s- ticket outlet for ARTS/West (no charge), also promotional partner/fundraising assistance
16. The identity of Athens, Ohio – carried weight and can be built upon – Athens is a prime area for artists of all kinds
17. The educational community: Ohio University, Hocking College, OSU Satellite Campuses
18. ARTS/West – can be a catalyst for arts integration/collaboration between media – provides space and technical expertise to artists of all genres
19. AMAC- Athens Municipal Arts Commission
20. Arts on Rt. 33 – a publication featuring local artists
21. Governor’s Office of Appalachia – public advocate for artists of Appalachia
22. Community Gardens – opportunity for sculptors/3D artists to exhibit
23. Tourism Boards – should be utilized more by local artists to encourage participation
24. Columbus Arts Scene – networking and communication between Athens artists and their Columbus counterparts could encourage joint exhibitions/wider promotion

Suggestions for Workshop:
1. Participants would like a list of attendees
2. Would like dialogue between businesspeople and

http://www.codacraft.org

the home page of Craft Organization Development Association.
Once you’ve seen their homepage, try this link:

http://www.codacraft.org/pages/survey/impact.htm

CODA has done done surveys
in many states, including West Virginia, that reveal the impact of the arts on the economy of the state, and the demographics of artisans. CODAs work has proven that the arts play a key role in drawing in revenue to an area- especially when the business of arts is linked to tourism.
Contact Linda Van Trump to receive email updates of employment opportunities and craft confereces in North America. Their annual CODA conference will be held next year in April in Arkansas, and the theme will be “Creating Consumers, Collectors and Leaders.”