When Audiences Become Creditors -- Part 2

Following on this earlier post, I am re-visiting this issue of audiences who have paid for subscriptions or single tickets, only to have the producing entity go out of business.

Today's Boston Globe addresses a complaint from a subscriber to North Shore Music Theatre (R.I.P.) who was solicited for early subscription renewal. This gentleman is probably out of luck in terms of getting his money back (I'd be pissed too, by the way), but some theatres in the Boston region are helping soften the blow a bit for NSMT audiences. These two articles address moves by other arts orgs who are setting up programs to honor NSMT tickets at other theatres -- a smart move. It placates angry theatre consumers, and has the potential to keep these folks from swearing off the theatre entirely as an enterprise upon which to spend entertainment dollars. It also introduces new audiences to companies they might not otherwise patronize. That's good for both the audience member and the producer. Lemonade of out of lemons.

But it brings me back to Robert Reich's argument about how we can't go back to the way things were before. I guess I'm hung up a little on this with regards to the subscription model because if I were an average consumer, the last thing I'd so these days is buy a subscription to a theatre. (And I LOVE the theatre. I want my local companies to succeed.) But I give them several hundred dollars for me and my sweetheart to attend a season of plays, and how do I know they'll stick around as a company that long? Things might look good from the outside, but what if the joint is rotten at the core? It's this niggling worry that season-renewal brochures hope to dispel, with all the glossy pictures and wonderful descriptions. But since I know that no season brochure wants me to think about the possibility of the theatre going dark unexpectedly, I also know that brochure is not a medium I can trust when it comes to disclosing the fiscal/artistic health of an institution. No wonder nobody's buying. It's a crisis of confidence.

I don't think the subscription model is dead by any means, but I think it needs to be re-thought with an eye towards where we all might be headed, not what things looked like 10 years ago.

Case Study: New Rep (Boston)

I've been interested in the email notices coming out of New Repertory Theatre in Boston of late. Kate Warner (previously of Dad's Garage in Atlanta) is the newly installed Artistic Director, and the tenor of the communication coming from the theatre is already different. I'll paste excerpts from some of these announcements below, but the thing that interests me most about them is that New Rep is very clearly focusing its story on the theatre's deep ties to the community of artists, audiences, and businesses in the area. In a moment of transition for the leadership of the theatre, the unified message emerging from the organization is one of carefully nuanced balance between the community of artists and audiences that existed before Warner's arrival, and the new artistic programming she brings to the table.

The following announcements particularly piqued my interest because they seem to best embody this position.

In the first example, New Rep sent out an email announcing (selected) casting and directors for shows in the 2009-10 season. To those outside of Boston, the names probably won't mean much, but for Boston audiences and the Boston theatre community, the message comes through loud a clear. The shows that Warner isn't directing herself have been assigned to a collection of established and emerging Boston directors, all with longtime ties to the community (many came through local training programs). The casting announcements highlight longtime community favorites as well as newcomers -- a savvy move that symbolically mirrors Warner's own efforts to blend old and new in the season selection. That is, you may not have heard of these newcomer actors (or, by extension, some of these playwrights), but you can see we care about the established favorites, so you know you can trust us.

In the second example, New Rep attempts to harness the power of word-of-mouth and social networking all at once with an incentive program that rewards subscribers who get their friends to subscribe, or who leverage personal connections in the local business community to sell ad space in the program. While it does have a whiff of the Amway about it, we all know that happy, excited subscribers often buy tickets for friends, or get friends to buy their own tickets. I don't know how many new subscriptions (or ads) this program will pull in, but it seems like it's totally worth a shot for New Rep.

In the last example, New Rep is looking to recruit a corps of citizen-reviewers for its 2009-10 season. This is bold and very smart. As Boston's print-based critical discourse withers and dies (I can't even count the number of critics who have lost their jobs at area papers in the last two years), something needs to fill the void. In asking audiences to serve as reviewers -- and promising to keep the reviews on the blog, unedited, regardless of what the reviewer has to say about the production -- New Rep is rooting the conversation about the art in the community that sees the art. (This makes me think of a recent post from The Artful Manager about the professional/amateur divide on the internet with regards to the arts)

All three of these announcements point to something that seems very of-the-moment: a desire to be incredibly locally relevant, to be plugged into the local cultural and civic ecology. The local-food movement has its mirror in the local-theatre movement. Of course, the New Rep season hasn't yet even begun, so it'll be a waiting game to see how this all pans out for them.

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EXAMPLE #1

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CASTING ANNOUNCEMENTS 2009-10 Season

Mister Roberts: a drama by Thomas Heggen and Joshua Logan

directed by Kate Warner

starring newcomer Thomas Piper as Mister Roberts, New Rep favorite Paul D. Farwell as the Captain, and introducing Jonathan Popp as Pulver

Speed-the-Plow: a drama by David Mamet

directed by Robert Walsh

starring Robert Pemberton as Bobby Gould, New Rep favorite Aimee Doherty as Karen (last seen as Sally Bowles in Cabaret), and introducing Gabriel Kuttner as Charlie Fox

Indulgences: a farcical comedy by Chris Craddock

directed by Kate Warner starring Boston favorite Neil A. Casey as Man 2 (last seen as Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile) , New Rep On Tour actor Edward Hoopman as Malcolm (last seen as title role in Hamlet) and introducing Joel Colodner as Man 1

Opus: a New England Premiere by Michael Hollinger

directed by Jim Petosa

Hot Mikado: book and lyrics by David H. Bell / musical concepts and arrangments by Robert Bowman

directed by Kate Warner / musical direction by Todd C. Gordon / choreography by Kelli Edwards

2.5 Minute Ride: a one woman show by Lisa Kron

directed by M. Bevin O'Gara

starring local favorite Adrienne Krstansky

boom: a New England Premiere by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb

directed by Bridget Kathleen O'Leary

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: adapted for the stage and originally directed by Rick Lombardo

directed by Steven Barkhimer

returning for the 5th year: Paul D. Farwell as Scrooge

The Santaland Diaries: by David Sedaris / adapted by Joe Mantello

directed by Christopher Webb

returning after last year's sold out run: Kraig Swartz as Crumpet

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EXAMPLE #2

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Here are two exciting ways that you could earn a FREE subscription!

1) Get TWO friends to subscribe to New Rep for the first time, and we will refund you the cost of one subscription! Ask the Box Office about our "Bring-a-Friend Subscription Rebate" by calling 617-923-8487 or e-mailing tickets@newrep.org.

2) Get a local business to take a quarter page ad in our programs for the 2009-2010 Season, and we'll refund you the cost of one subscription.

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EXAMPLE #3

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New Rep wants YOU, our beloved audience members, to share your thoughts on our productions with the world by writing reviews of our 2009-2010 Season shows. All reviews written by New Rep Reviewers will be posted (unedited) on NewRep's blog, Backstage @ New Rep.

HOW

As a New Rep Reviewer, you must agree to complete 4 easy steps:

1) Attend the Opening Night performances for all 9 New Rep shows

2) Post your review on New Rep's blog within 24 hours of the Opening Night Performance. Instructions will be provided to all New Rep Reviewers.

3) Limit your review to 200-300 words.

4) Write your review based on your response to New Rep's production and not that of other reviewers and/or theatergoers.

TICKETS

New Rep Reviewers (Subscribers): your subscription will be transferred to Opening Night and you will be given two extra tickets to bring friends.

New Rep Reviewers (Non-Subscribers): you will be given two free tickets to attend Opening Night performances.

HOW TO BE CONSIDERED:

1) Submit a 200-300 word review of a play that you have seen at any theater in the Greater Boston Area this past season (2008-2009).

2) Include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address on the top of your review.

National Summit for Ensemble Theatre Takes on Theatre & the Economy

Check out this initial report from the Flux Theatre Ensemble on the recent Nat'l Summit for Ensemble Theatre. Discussions touched on how network theatres might bolster their economic and artistic positions. The Flux folks outline five main ideas that emerged from the summit, and go into a bit more detail. Check it out.

Excerpt:

1. The difference between quality and value
2. Understanding the rules of form
3. Critiquing from within
4. Sustaining the conversation
5. Clarity of intent

New (Old?) Commissioning Model

News out of the Wall Street Journal about how the economy has ushered in a new -- or rather, a very very old -- manner of support for the arts. In essence, it's patronage; WSJ spins it as small-scale private commissions. In the instance of this article, they're talking about music, but it's not a stretch to think of ways in which the model could be extended into the theatre.

What do you think about this model? What are the benefits or downfalls for the theatre? Many larger theatres solicit support from major donors for a single production, or artist residencies, etc -- so we're halfway there already -- but what about private citizens (outside the formal development structure of a theatre org) paying a playwright for a new work?

In fact, this isn't totally unrealistic. Playwright Greg Romero had a grand idea in 2008 -- a road-trip-meets-new-play-genesis kind of thing. He asked friends to donate money to fund his travel, and in exchange, wrote a short play for that donor. He collected them together, and the result was The Travel Plays. Check out his blog, here.

Here's the official description of The Travel Plays:

Greg Romero wrote "The Travel Plays" according to a set of self-determined rules. Each of the 31 plays is a gift for one of the 31 people who donated money to fund the playwright's travel from Philadelphia to Dallas in the spring of 2008. Romero determined setting and page length for each play by calculating the city where each gift would land him as well as the number of states he'd pass through (one page per state). Each play includes a gift exchange and one item from the previous locale. Moving through time, place and American history, "The Travel Plays" meet Walt Whitman, Martha Washington, Elvis Presley and a giant elephant. They make a wacky textured tapestry of histories out of theatrical gift-exchanges.

Interview with Artist and Craftsman Supply owner

Larry Adlerstein owns and manages 15 Artist and Craftsman supply stores across the country but is based in Portland, ME. He has stores in San Francisco's Bay Area, in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, in Louisville and right up the street from Boston University in Massachusetts. 

I asked him about the state of his sales under the strain of the recession. His answers really surprised me:

He said in the last year and a half his sales are up 9% as an annual percentage. Meanwhile his competitors, Art Mart, Dick Blick, and Pearl are down about 12%.

How is he beating his competitors who are major names in the art supply world?

Well, he says it's all about relationships. Whether it's his relationships with his managers in the various stores or the relationships with each customer, all of these matter more than a couple of cents. He says a store is successful when the employees are happy, and that happiness comes from having ownership. Larry Adlerstein says he gives every manager a lot of responsibilities and room to be creative and make decisions for the store; this way each manager has more invested with the company.

He also explained he has a lot of knowledge of popular brands and colors. I asked him how he  keeps on top of the popular products and how he knows what sells...

He says this job is a lot harder for me than for major companies, because he decides to go to trade shows, looks through trade magazines, and decides to buy from 20 smaller art companies than one huge whole sale companies. By ordering through these 20 small companies he has to fill out 20 different order forms, and keep track of 20 different shipments, and pay 20 different bills, but he says it's all worth it. 

Why so much work? He says it makes his store unique and artists like that. Plus the smaller companies offer their products at a better value. And this way he makes relationships with these small companies and keeps them alive instead of always resorting to the mass whole sale company. This formula for running a business also attracts the artist community, because they would rather support the "little guys" too.

His stores have a great atmosphere as well: each has cement floors with paintings on them and low incandescent light bulbs that are easy on the eyes. The employees are always nice. And I mean that too, because Larry is very involved in hiring and firing. Instead of letting someone else, even a manager deal with a problem, he flies out all over the country to confront the situation head on. 

Dedication to the people is how he keeps up his sales and so far he is battling the bad economy and winning.

Empathy

Sometimes it's wise to back up and remind ourselves of the big picture....  

Yes, the economy is in the crapper.  Yes, arts organizations -- and of interest here, specifically theatres -- are suffering mightily.  People are out of work, communities are losing vital fora for drama.  

So what?  What does it matter?

I offer a recent article from Charles McNulty as a reminder of the Big Picture.  It's about empathy, and how the theatre is one of the ways human beings learn to be empathetic.  It's worth a read.

Lessons From Mass MOCA and Russia?

A feature from the Boston Globe about the art museum Mass MOCA and how it managed to plan and execute a financial turnaround.  Of interest is the role of the organization in the community.

A piece from the NYT about the Russian city of Perm, and the local government's decision to significantly invest in the arts as a method of civic turnaround.

Theater Task Force of Community Board Five in Manhattan

David Diamond (Board Member, The Barrow Group Theater Company, and Chair of Theater Task Force, Community Board Five, Manhattan) sent along some very interesting info to me today.  

David says: "We, along with 4 other Boards in our area hosted a symposium on endangered theaters and the economic crisis back in March. Shay Gines of New York Innovative Theater did a study of closed and potentially closing theaters in New York.  Also, David Pincus (manager of the Workshop Theater and head of CB4's Task Force) is current on the subject. We have a loose consortium of our task forces and other community based organizations who are working together to address the problems of specifically, the smaller companies that are affected, which are located in our communities. We are attacking the problem on a legislative front (encouraging tax breaks for landlords that house nonprofit theater companies), a real estate front (negotiating better terms for theaters), accessing economic stimulus monies, foundation and government funding and other initiatives.  Below are some recent resolutions passed by CB5 which are being widely distributed. Paul Nagle of Council Member Gerson's office is very active on this issue. He's a good resource."

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Other bloggers have dissected/responded to this work here, here, here, and here.

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CB5 RESOLUTION

WHEREAS: Arts and Entertainment is one of the largest industries in New York City with the economic impact of non-profit estimated to be $5.8 Billion and 40,460 jobs (NY Alliance for the Arts, 2005);

WHEREAS: Small to mid sized theaters and other arts organizations are an integral part of the Arts & Entertainment industry: A) as an entry point for actors, playwrights, and other artists, B) for the expression and exploration of the diverse culture of New York City communities, C) sites of creativity, experimentation and innovation, D) jobs;

WHEREAS: Small to mid sized theaters and other arts venues are a closely tied to their local neighborhood small businesses, for instance one theater in CB3 had 70 restaurants contribute food to a recent festival;

WHEREAS: Small to mid sized theaters and other arts venues are economic drivers of local neighborhoods, and are a crucial to the cultural and economic resilience and diversity of our neighborhoods;

WHEREAS: A cyclical economic downturn is the TIME TO INVEST in our neighborhood economic drivers and NOT TO DISINVEST in local economic drivers;

WHEREAS: The proposed disinvestment by the City and the State in community based arts may have an adverse multiplier effect on the small businesses and neighborhoods that they are based;

WHEREAS: Foundation funding and government funding are down by 20-40 percent, yet small to mid sized theaters and other non profit arts venues have fixed real estate costs;

WHEREAS: Government funders recommendations to small to mid sized theaters and other arts organizations to cut back on programming in this time of crisis will not work, as programming constituted the revenue for fixed costs and employment;

WHEREAS: Community Board Five's smaller theaters have been an historic incubator for talent and product that eventually play the neighboring Broadway theaters;

WHEREAS: Our area (CB5, CB4, CB2) has recently lost 25-30 percent of their small to mid sized theaters in the last five years predominantly due to real estate competition (New York Theatre Innovative Theatre Awards study, Dec 08);

WHEREAS: Community Board Five remains the most active, viable center for theater and performing arts;

WHEREAS: There exists innovative policies (land use, tax, public buildings) to sustain and retain theater and other performance venues that other cities and states have successfully used;

WHEREAS: The New York State Assembly member O’Donnell, and NYC Council member Alan Gerson’s office are proposing bills to create a property tax abatement for commercial landlords that rent to non-profit cultural groups;

WHEREAS: The recent joint Community Board Forum on small to mid sized theaters was well attended with extensive expert and public testimony on the loss of theater and arts venues, the importance of theater and arts venues for local communities, and the severe financial crisis hitting small to mid sized theater.

THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED: Community Board Five calls on its elected officials to acknowledge small to mid sized theaters and other arts organizations to be crucial to the cultural and economic resilience and diversity of our neighborhoods, to recognize the arts as economic drivers and integral to local small neighborhood businesses;

THEREFORE IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED: Community Board Five calls on its elected officials to develop and adopt land use, tax and other governmental incentives and policies to retain and secure theater and other arts and cultural venue spaces and to retain arts and cultural organizations in our district and the City of New York.

THEREFORE IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED: Community Board Five calls on its elected officials, and the Governor, to act in order to restore the 100 percent funding cut from remaining funds of the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) for Fiscal Year 2009, to restore NYSCA funding to sustainable levels in Fiscal Year 2010, and not to discriminate against small to mid-sized theaters and arts organizations.

THEREFORE IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED: Community Board Five calls on its elected representatives of Congress to include small to mid-sized theaters and other arts organizations in job retention and economic stimulus funding, and not to discriminate against the arts and non-profits in urban stabilization, job retention, and other funding and policies assisting other small businesses.

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ARTS IN ED LETTER:

Dear Mayor Bloomberg and Members of the New York City Council,

As we know from the NYC Department of Education’s own assessments, the City’s public schools are not meeting state requirements for arts education. Hundreds of thousands of New York City public school students do not have access to arts education – visual arts, music, dance, theater - in their classrooms, despite state law requiring a specific number of hours in arts be taught throughout a K-12 education. In fact, according to the NYC DOE, nearly 30% of schools have no certified arts teacher on staff, less than half of middle school students are provided with the minimum state arts requirements, and only 8% of elementary schools are even in the position to meet minimum state requirements in the arts. The elimination of Project ARTS – an initiative that secured a minimum level of arts education through dedicated funding making possible essentials like art supplies, hiring art teachers and valuable partnerships with cultural organizations– has made a bad situation a dire one.

National studies show that the arts not only motivate kids to learn more; they also keep youth in school and graduating on time. Unfortunately, data provided by the NYC Department of Education shows that schools with the most low-income students offer the least arts education. As new, stricter graduation requirements are being implemented, it is imperative that all students receive at least the arts education they are guaranteed by law bolstering their chances of graduation. Without the guarantee of dedicated funding for arts education, the opportunity gap will only continue to widen.

Regardless of changes in elected leadership, school governance or the
economy, we must have a structure in place to guarantee that all children can meet minimum standards for arts in the schools.

To that end, we are urging you and the City Council to create a dedicated funding line for arts education – an essential step in ensuring every child receive a quality education that includes the arts.

Sincerely,

Richard Kessler, The Center for Arts Education
Michael Mulgrew, United Federation of Teachers
Billy Easton, The Alliance for Quality Education
Don Fann, Learning Disabilities Association of New York City
Kim Sweet, Advocates for Children
Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM
Chung-Wha Hong, New York Immigration Coalition
Cynthia Nixon, Actress, Public School Advocate
Jennifer March-Joly, Citizens’ Committee for Children
Jonathan Hollander, Battery Dance Company
Sondra Forsyth, Ballet Ambassadors
Kathleen A. Christie, Brooklyn Arts Council Arts in Education
Kyra Sedgwick, Actor
Claire Yeoman, Children’s Museum of the Arts
Barbara Fisher and Richard Spiegel, Ten Penny Players
Idina Menzel, Actor
Marisa Suescun, Coro New York Leadership Center
Dorothy Savitch, Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music
Theodore Wiprud, New York Philharmonic
Julianna Margulies, Actor
Janine Nina Trevens, TADA! Youth Theater
Elizabeth Halverstam, Arts Horizons
Hjördis Linn-Blanford, American Tap Dance Foundation
Caryne Hayes, Careers Through Culinary Arts Program
Hazel A. Younger, Community Board 16, Brooklyn
Phyllis Cohn, Music for Many, Inc.
Kyra Popiel, The Town Hall
Karina Collado, Riverdale Neighborhood House
Diane Wilson, Community Board 9, Manhattan
Theresa Scavo, Community Board 15, Brooklyn
Peter Nicholas Trump, The Town Hall Foundation
Laura McManus, Museum of Biblical Art
Susan Goldbetter, Circuit Productions, Inc.
Tara Sansone, Socrates Sculpture Park
Joanne Bernstein-Cohen, The Little Orchestra Society
Young Playwrights, Inc.
Susan Fenley, Sundog Theatre
Nellie Perera, Henry Street Settlement
Joanne Zipay, Judith Shakespeare Company NYC
Andrea Crawford, Community Board 9, Queens
Annette Esposito, Community Board 2, Staten Island
David Siesko, Community Board 5, Manhattan

Re-imagining Dead Commercial Space

My favorite story from the last year or so comes out of St Louis, where a foundering mall decided to give its empty storefronts (including a large empty anchor store) over to arts groups.  

I'll paste the text of the original announcement from the St Louis Post Dispatch (oddly no longer available in their archives) below.  

Here's a more recent follow-up article, and here's a report from the successful grand opening: in 40 previously vacant retail spots, now there are 21 arts tenants up and running, and 25 more set to open.  Wow.

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AT THE FLAGGING MALL IN CRESTWOOD... 

Plenty of space for the arts Empty shopping areas are transformed in a dream come true for theater groups, artists. 

Judith Newmark; POST-DISPATCH THEATER CRITIC

Edition: Third Edition / Section: News / 12-26-2008 

CRESTWOOD - Erin Kelley and John Contini, actors who have performed on stages all over town, pace off a carpet in front of the dressing rooms in an empty Man Alive clothing store in a struggling mall. 

 

They're figuring out the dimensions of Avalon Theatre's new stage - a prospect that makes Kelley, the troupe's managing artistic director, choke up with joy. After years of performing in a church basement, Avalon is converting the former shop into a theater at ArtSpace, a section of Crestwood Court that's evolving into a new home for more than 50 arts groups. 

Leisa Son, the court's specialty leasing manager, says she knows of nothing like ArtSpace at any other mall in the country. Neither does Jill McGuire, executive director of the Regional Arts Commission. She looks forward to a time early next year when St. Louisans will be able to enjoy a real "New York day" - shopping, a nice meal, a show - in a single place. With lots of parking, no less. 

"The arts have been recognized as an impetus for economic development for about 10 years, in places like Washington Avenue downtown," McGuire said. "But ArtSpace is suburban, and it's enormous. It's a very exciting opportunity to integrate arts into the community." 

Theater companies, dance troupes and visual artists are among the tenants who will share the space in the shopping center, a South County landmark at Watson and Sappington roads. For years, the mall was known as Crestwood Plaza. 

Like many malls, however, Crestwood Plaza has suffered a downturn. Although Macy's and Sears remain, the third anchor, Dillard's, closed its Crestwood store in 2007. Several small shops are gone, too. 

In March, the 51-year-old mall was purchased by Chicago-based Centrum Properties and New York-based Angelo, Gordon & Co. They plan to tear down all or most of it. It will be replaced with a modern open-air lifestyle center featuring shops, restaurants and entertainment. 

But that's at least two years off, maybe five. What to do in the meantime? 

Centrum managing partner Sol Barket, a former St. Louisan, has a long-standing interest in the arts. He suggested turning the Dillard's wing into an art gallery where area painters could display their work. 

 

Running with the idea, Son called Lisette Dennis, RAC's grants and volunteer manager. "I said, 'I have space, lots and lots of space. Do you know any artists who need space?' 

 

"Lisette said, 'Leisa, if this is your idea of a joke, I don't think it's very funny!'" 

 

Things moved fast after that. Last month, RAC sponsored a couple of open houses where arts groups could explore more than 100,000 square feet of empty, but clean and usable, space. Son was astonished by the response. 

 

"I thought we'd get maybe 10 applications," she said. "But about 70 came in immediately, and they are still coming in." 

 

Those that have started to move in include Laumeier Sculpture Park, DaySpring School of the Arts, Jeane Vogel Fine Art, Marble Stage Theatre, the Hangar and the bookstore I Don't Want to Kiss a Llama. 

 

In exchange for the space, the arts groups agree to decorate the shop windows, a convenient way to call attention to their work. They have to pay for utilities, but the rent "is just north of nothing," said Son, in some cases as low as $50 a month. 

 

The former shops may need a little, or a lot, of work. Avalon, one of the first groups to move in, will divide its space into three areas: a lobby, a house with about 100 seats arranged on risers, and a compact arena-style playing area on the floor. Stage lights will hang from the open ceiling; walls will go up on the sides and behind the stage. 

 

In back are the kinds of luxuries that small theaters only dream of: an office, ample work space for building sets and costumes, lots of storage in the loft. There are even fitting rooms where the actors can change into their costumes. Contini, who will direct February's production of "The Subject Was Roses," observed that each actor in the three-character drama will enjoy a private dressing room, like a real star. 

 

"This space allows us to expand," said Avalon producing artistic director Larry Mabrey, who is Kelley's husband. "We can add a fall show, maybe a holiday show. And it gives us a public presence outside of our house." 

 

Each space will be arranged to suit its group's needs. For example, Son expects several dance companies to share one of the big spaces. One painter - who enjoys talking to visitors while he works - plans to turn his space into a studio; another group of artists plans to work elsewhere, but show and sell their paintings in a collective gallery. A fabric artist, a jewelry designer and an organization that recycles industrial materials for school art projects will be ArtSpace neighbors, too. 

 

In time, McGuire hopes some groups will collaborate. Maybe a painter will decorate a stage set, or a dance troupe will perform in one of the theaters. 

 

"Everybody is so busy that we tend to stay in our own little silos," she said. "I am excited about the opportunity here for cross- pollination." 

 

She also sees big potential for arts classes in a mall, where parents can drop children off, then go shopping. "I would have loved that when my kids were little," she sighed. One of the organizations that will offer classes, Laumeier Sculpture Park in nearby Sunset Hills, will expand its educational programs for children and adults once it moves into ArtSpace. Currently it mainly offers classes in warm weather so they can meet outdoors, where there's room. 

 

"We think that ArtSpace will broaden our audience," said Laumeier's communications director, Mike Venso. "Some people come to the park just to walk their dogs, but while they're here they get to enjoy great sculpture. We think the same thing will happen with mall walkers and shoppers. 

 

"This is smart for everybody. It will be good for the arts groups, and it will rekindle the mall space." 

 

Son shares Venso's optimism. 

"Anything that entertains my shoppers is great," she said. By the same token, she figures that anyone who goes to an art opening or to see a play or to take a sculpture class is apt to buy at least a cup of coffee. Or maybe a pair of earrings, or a sweater. Or a dishwasher. You never know. 

 

She figures that by February, when everyone has moved in, the buzz will be irresistible. 

 

"You'll feel this whole area come alive," she predicted. "This is a win-win for everybody." 

 

(Copyright (c) 2008 The Post-Dispatch)