"Event soup"? Or complementary side dishes?
Submitted by Elliott Balch on Sat, 05/06/2006 - 16:49.
Snip from MindHub, May 6th:
It may seem kind of trivial, but I think our lack of cohesiveness doesn't bode well for the type of change we're trying to effect in Fresno. Is there a reason, that I'm not aware of, why these individual events [ArtHop and Fulton Plaza Thursdays] can't, or aren't, working together? (Not sarcasm, genuine curiousity)
As chair of this year's season of Fulton Plaza Thursdays, I've obviously been following the debate on this season's format with interest. And while I don't think any of the concerns that certain people have expressed are trivial, I do think they are misguided. I'm afraid I just can't help but be more optimistic. Here's why:
1) Most Fresnans do not know about ArtHop. Sure, you do, but let's face it, you're one hip cat. I was on a jury recently, and the only other person (out of 11) who had ever heard of ArtHop was himself a young musician. I think there's the potential to bring a lot of new people into the loop on ArtHop.
2) Fulton Plaza Thursdays caters to a broader crowd than ArtHop. FPT is advertised on ABC 30, 95.7 The Fox radio, and The Fresno Bee. We serve beer. We serve food. This means FPT has the potential to bring new people downtown who aren't already regulars.
3) When two events bring two different crowds downtown, good things can happen. People find out about things going on in their community that they didn't know of before. Synergy is a GOOD idea! I hope we all agree on that.
4) Putting FPT on the same night as ArtHop this year was no mistake. Just the opposite, in fact. After I became chairman of the FPT subcommittee, several months ago, I think the very first meeting I had was with Joyce Aiken of the Arts Council. It was a very nice meeting; she clearly understood the potential for synergy with the two events. In fact, we spoke about inviting artists to display their work at FPT. I also spoke early on at an FCASH meeting about our plans.
6) Two recently heard comments, paraphrased:
"Finally I can get food with ArtHop. I never liked having wine at the galleries on an empty stomach." -- from an art scene devotee
"The weekly schedule was too much last year. I had to keep telling myself, 'I'm having a good time, I'm having a good time.'" -- from a downtown regular
I love the discussion we've had on this issue, and I really hope everyone enjoys Fulton Plaza Thursdays this year. You can keep up-to-date about the FPT season at www.downtownfresno.org. And if you'd like to volunteer to help out, drop me a line at balch@post.harvard.edu. Those who volunteer the most definitely have the most say in what kind of event FPT is and becomes. It's the same as any other downtown effort!
how to be an ArtHop stop
ArtHop is officially sponsored by the Fresno Arts Council. To be an official ArtHop stop, I believe you pay the FAC $100 and then they will include you in their map and website. However, many, many places are not "official" ArtHop places; they stay open late on the first Thursday and bill it ArtHop. You can be located anywhere in the city. Check out our ArtHop map (we list "official" and unofficial stops), there are a few in your nabe.
how can i get involved in art hop?
I own a store in north east fresno at champlain in perrin am i too far north to be involved with art hop, how does art ho p work exactly? im sooo out of the loop here help!
FPT vs. Art Hop
This months art hop I chose to visit the galleries over the Fulton plaza Thursday, why because there were artists that would only be showing for this month and not the next, if i did not see them on that day I'd miss them next month. I do plan to hit the Fulton Thursday next month, but only for a limited time, as soon as the band plays and it over I'm out of their so i can hit some art hop stops before it's over.
last year I really enjoyed the Fulton Thursday i went to every one and i only missed some of the events that fell on the art hop because there was other places to see and i knew i could go to the futon Thursday the next week.
It will really depend on who's performing at the futon Thursday for me to go to it, but last year It did not matter because the Thursdays that did not fall on the art hop there was really nothing else going on downtown besides the thirsty Thursday at the ball park.
I do hope that people who don't do the art hop and go to the Thursday baseball games, do come to the Fulton first Thursdays, and I hope that maybe it could become a all year event, if their is a place to be out of the weather.
What's going on at the Fulton mall this Thursday (May 11)? I don't have anything to do.
Events last year
I wasn't keeping careful track myself, but I believe the Art Hop nights were generally more heavily attended than the other nights in the month.
FPT vs. Art Hop
Here's a question for the Fulton Plaza Thursdays people. Last year, when you did FPT every Thursday, was attendance on the 1st Thursday of the month (opposite Art Hop) lower or higher than the other three Thursdays of the month?
makes us choose
I really love attending both events: ArtHop and FPT. The unfortunate truth is that I likely won't make it out to any FPT events this year.
why?
It features music and food - big plus is the location and atmosphere. I can see the local bands in various venues all over town throughout the month. I cannot however visit artists' studios that are only open to the public on ArtHop nights. Because FPT is only offered once a month I now have to choose between the two - or have a 'partial' experience of both.
Because of the current schedule the DTA has effectively excluded a HUGE part of the art community and its supporters from participating in FPT.
Realize that no artists with open studios can attend FPT.
Museum employees will not be able to attend.
Anyone with a gallery space open will not be able to attend.
This includes retailers, bars, reataurants, hair salons, anyone providing an artHop venue.
I think the ideal situation would have been to host FPT on a different night and invite artists to show their work on the mall.
Maybe next year?
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