How Art Walk Actually Began.

[stephendare]

I have heard several wildly innacurate versions of the beginnings of the Art Walk, and while I am always glad to point out on an individual basis that the facts are somewhat different, I thought a post on the subject would be helpful.

It is illustrative of something that happens again and again, that something is begun by artists and bohemians, then coopted by marketing savvy public relations types who then simultaneously take credit for the creative success while also marginalizing the creative types who originated it.

The Art Walk, or what was to become of the Art Walk was created by Ryan Rummell and Jason Grimes, the owners of TSI.

These two guys have been at the dynamic center of all the good things happening in the city for almost 10 years  now.

Ryan had the Czigan and Rummell Gallery while Jason and I owned The Loft on Duval Street.

When our homes and venues were torn down by the city, John and I moved to Springfield and opened Boomtown and Eden.  Ryan lived in a loft studio project that we did above the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop called "The Carter"

Jason and Ryan moved into a loft a block away from our former project and started an arts collective-----and the Art Walk----before then moving to Springfield and opening the original TSI where the Pearl is presently located.

We then all moved back downtown, Boomtown moving to Hemming Park and TSI reopening on the Bay Street Corridor.

I have never felt that Ryan and Jason get enough recognition for the hard work, sacrifice and artistic devotion that they have put into the center city, but I have always felt like it was a crime that DVI has somehow gotten all of the credit for creating the Art Walk----when in fact it was these two talented, hard driven boys from TSI.

Even more incredibly are the number of people who swear that they had nothing to do with it.

For the record, I accidentally ran across the original Times Union Article listing their creation of the event..

I wasnt aware that it existed, but Im glad that it does.

Here it is:

   
Friday, August 1, 2003

Last modified at 11:31 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2003

      

ART NOTES: Artists won't let a little red tape stifle creativity
  Back to Swell Entertainment


The organizers of a new arts group in downtown Jacksonville are so eager to get started they launched their first show before the ink on the paperwork had a chance to dry.

The North Florida Artist Cooperative is a new non-profit organization created to promote local artists in a downtown setting. But setting up a non-profit is a long and tedious process. So the group is putting on its first show this week in a loft at 38 W. Monroe St. near the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art, while it works through the red tape.

"We didn't want to have to wait for our paperwork, so we decided to get started," said Ryan Rummel, one of the directors of the organization, along with Jason Grimes.

Rummel, who ran the Czigan and Rummel Gallery downtown before it was torn down to make room for the new public library, said the first show is by appointment only because the organization doesn't have a staff to keep it open full time.

The show features the works of about 20 local artists, from painters Henry Peterson and Jerry Smith to photographer Jenson Hande.

Eventually, the cooperative will show art at four or five other downtown locations, plus sponsor musical performance and "microcinema" underground film showings. "Visual, music, film, it runs the gamut," Rummel said.

If you'd like to see the show, or if you're interested in joining the cooperative, call Rummel or Grimes at (904) 356-6343.

-- Tom Szaroleta/staff

For thanks, after the art walk took off, they were summarily booted off of the tour by Jane Craven from the Museum and DVI

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080103/ent_13154749.html

[Jerry Moran]

September 2007 Venue Count: 42
http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/pdf/AWSEPT.pdf

January 2008 Venue Count: 27
http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/pdf/07-DVI-027_artwalk_JAN1.pdf


How could this happen to such a sucessful program?!!  I'll tell you.  DVI is now requiring Art Walk venues to include the City of Jacksonville and DVI as co-insured parties on their general liability insurance policies.  Formerly, a certificate of proof of insurance was all that was required.  If you don't agree, your art venue is left out of the official Art Walk program.   Translation: If a successful claim is made against the City or DVI, the business owner's insurance company has to participate in the payout, even if the incident happened outside of the premises of the primary (business owner) insured.  Most insurance companies would not agree to such a thing, and the balance would want an additional premium for the coverage. One would have to be out of his mind to agree to such a requirement.  Talk about boogering up a good thing...

[thelakelander]

Why do business owners need DVI to run Art Walk anyway?  Does it really impact a business if its not on one of the glossy postcard maps enabling guest to win a free cheap gift.  When Art Walk rolls around if businesses keep their doors open, people will come in.

[thelakelander]

Did they have glossy maps before DVI took it over?

[thelakelander]

You definately don't need DVI for that.  All you need is dedicated business owners or residents to donate the time to pull it off.  If there's issues with DVI running the Art Walk, then this must be done by those who oppose DVI's demands.

[gatorback]

I remember Ryan talking about it way before DVI got involved.  Good times.

[gatorback]

I remember Ryan pitching me the concept in the loft.  He was so excited about it.  Even I had no idea that it would become what it is today, but I know it was his and Jason's baby.   I enjoy the artists that are just on the curb selling their stuff.  I tried to get sis to buy this fish painting for some change, it was gone before we came back around to buy it. I truely regret not buying it right then and there.