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May 3, 2013 | 0 Comments

As more local galleries close, Downtown Artery opens a new space for visual artists to create and show their work

With Opiate Gallery closing and GNU: Experience Gallery weighing exit strategies, it hasn’t been a fun month to talk about Fort Collins art galleries. Fortunately there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for Old Town.

Tonight, as Opiate Gallery hosts their final “First Friday” reception, Downtown Artery will open their doors to the public for the first time, presenting “Post NO Toys,” a show by visual artist Frank Stanley — perhaps best known for following a Japanese legend that led him to paint 1000 cranes to save his wife’s life.

Downtown Artery

I spoke briefly with Shane Miles, one of Downtown Artery’s managers, as he went about last minute preparations. I learned tonight will be the public’s first look at the new space before artists and companies begin moving in to the various artist studios and creative offices. Miles already has around five artists confirmed to move into the space this Spring with Fort Collins Brewery sponsoring some of the spaces. Look for a full post on the subject soon.

Right now, we recommend hitting Old Town Fort Collins 6:00-9:00PM for First Friday Gallery walk. Be sure to say goodbye to Opiate Gallery at 237 Linden St. and hello to Downtown Artery at 252 Linden St.

Planning ahead, save June 7th for Downtown Artery’s Grand Opening.

April 23, 2013 | 0 Comments

A GNU Fort Collins Art Gallery Closure Right Behind Opiate?

If you have been waiting to ‘like’ GNU: Experience Gallery on Facebook, you should really get on it. It turns out that may be the only presence left of the Fort Collins Art Gallery after this spring. I spoke today with gallery co-founder and owner, Brandton Manshel about a letter he sent to GNU Gallery and local arts supporters outlining what he called inevitable changes.

  • Expiration of critical grant funds
  • Loss of co-founder and tenant – Tomas Herrera, videomaker

As a result it appears the gallery’s Old Town Square location may have only a few months remaining as Westword Magazine’s 2012 Best DIY Venue.

“Venues such as GNU Experience Gallery – which features live music and avant-garde art – set the city apart as a place for live music.” Coloradoan 4/15/2012

While Manshel was reluctant to guess exactly what the future might look like for a non-gallery GNU endeavor, he did underscore the urgency for finding a new way forward if the physical space is to remain operating. While Manshel plans to continue curating music, art, and experiences he has taken on a full time job that will keep him from acting as the space’s GM. It seems any suitable option will likely involve a lease swap — although he could continue booking if others step up to keep the gallery going.

Will the art and music community of Fort Collins step up? We’ll certainly keep our eyes on it.

Interested parties can contact GNU: Experience Gallery on Facebook.

April 17, 2013 | 1 Comment

Leaner and meaner, FoCoMX returns this weekend

Thanks for all of the thoughtful comments on last week’s post about Opiate Gallery closing! It’s great to see dozens of people thinking and talking about Fort Collins art culture and beer culture. Go buy some art!

Disclaimer: Although I volunteer as a FoCoMX booking/production teammate and emcee, my views do not represent FoCoMA, FoCoMX, their board, volunteers, or sponsors.

Six years ago the Fort Collins Musicians Association had the vision to launch Local Music Appreciation Month. The following year they launched the Fort Collins Music eXperiment (FoCoMX). This experiment in connecting local musicians with local fans has grown like wildfire, impacting the lives of a broad cross-section of the community. Simply put, Fort Collins music makers have worked for five long years to build a festival like no other for a music town like no other. So, why is this year’s festival smaller than last year even when sponsorships are up? (350+ musical acts in 2012 vs. 241 acts scheduled for 2013)

The simple reason is to produce a leaner, meaner, and all-around better festival for everyone involved.

Leaner

For four years the scale of FoCoMX ballooned to include nearly every band and every Fort Collins music venue (and many non-venues). While everyone handled it in stride, the 2012 festival of 350+ bands in 39 venues tested the limits of our emerging Colorado music capital’s volunteer capacity. As a result of booking fewer bands the footprint of the festival will shrink to a more manageable size, spanning Old Town Fort Collins and Campus West, cutting out the need for cross-town shuttles and encouraging more pedestrian traffic to and from the festival.

Meaner

You have to applaud FoCoMA’s continued vision. It took courage to stop growing for growth’s sake and instead think about how to make FoCoMX the best music festival rather than the biggest. Following some minor management restructuring, the efforts of organizers and volunteers have already been more efficient, more focused and more full of fun. This weekend, expect to see a very happy and well-prepared team working together in harmony to make FoCoMX 5 the best yet for musicians and audiences alike. Tickets and more info at http://focomx.org

See you out and about this weekend. Follow @entertainingfc for updates from the festival.

Note: You can listen to FoCoMA – Fort Collins Musicians Association musicians like Liz Barnez, Cary Morin, Michaela Rae and more at all day today (Weds.) until 6pm on 88.9FM KRFC and online at http://krfcfm.org/listen.php.

April 10, 2013 | 16 Comments

Is Fort Collins Beer Culture Drowning Out Art?

Last week we shared some news about another beloved Fort Collins art gallery closing. It prompted a number of deeply insightful comments from Fort Collins artists and art patrons. Entertaining Fort Collins will continue to bring you more on the subject as the conversation continues at large. Today’s post focuses on one of the most heated discussions on the topic of evaporating art galleries right now — the efficacy of a gallery giving away free beer.

“I have always tried to present the coolest art I could find for Fort Collins in a fun environment and I don’t regret doing so. This town comes out in huge numbers and it creates a lot of great energy. But the truth is as much as we appreciate people coming out to show their support, without the sales there is simply no way to stay open. In February, after a month of finding artists and writing contracts and hanging art and a line out the door to view said art we didn’t sell a single piece. We did however give a way lots of free beer and what we got instead of sales were a lot of complaints when the beer ran out.” – Opiate Gallery Owner & Professional Photographer, Darren Mahuron

It’s common sense that an art gallery must make sales like any business to stay open. So, what part does beer play? I put some questions I’ve seen you asking each other to the heads of two progressive Fort Collins art galleries for their thoughts.

Photo courtesy GNU: Experience Gallery in Fort Collins

Rolfe Duane Bautista is an artist living and working in Fort Collins. He owned Rendition Gallery prior it’s closure in 2012.

From my perspective of being the former owner of Rendition I have found that the beer is not enough to draw people in. Or at least the right type of people who will buy art. To stay open a gallery must make sales like any business. At Rendition we decided to go without the free beer and still attracted an amazing crowd of people. It seems that the people who do frequent the first Friday showings are not the big art buyers that the galleries need.

Is the booze culture choking the art culture?

I think that the two cultures need to be separate. Drawing people into a gallery setting with booze creates a type of party atmosphere which is very fun and I do enjoy partaking in it but it takes the focus away from the artwork.

What do you say to people who argue they just “like to have beer when I’m out and about?”

People should be coming to a gallery show with the focus on seeing artwork and engaging in discussion. People should feel enriched, moved or inspired by what they see to make for a successful night.

Is free beer leading me to purchase art?

Well from the days of the gallery underground the beer does loose some pockets but mostly on impulse buys and not enough to make a difference.

How do you convince people that they need to focus on the art?

New exciting shows that people look forward to are ways to have them focus on art. Just put on a great show for the crowd and they will come.

Do you have anything coming up that readers should check out?

Well my favorite place for art in town is the Center for Fine Art Photography. They always put together very interesting shows and really shows the potential of art that Fort Collins could have.

 

Brandton Manshell is founder and general manager of GNU: Experience Gallery in Old Town Square.

How does GNU: Experience Gallery stay open when other popular galleries like Rendition and Opiate close?

We don’t sell ourselves as just an art gallery because we don’t see that as a sustainable business here and now. I think the reason we last like this, is that we try to ask for help. And that we try to do a variety of stuff that appeals to the most people.

I notice that you didn’t mention giving away beer as an integral part of your operation.

Scene just did that article about Michael Kirkpatrick at Equinox, and how great it is to combine art and beer. So, I just think that if there was a general poll, most people from Fort Collins would want booze available at all art venues and events. But it’s the bureaucracy and outrageous financial burden that keeps us (the little guy / art galleries / one-off events) from being able to cash in on that desire. We have to buy the beer and give it away if we want to participate in the beer culture as a gallery.

Entertaining Fort Collins is beyond curious to hear your take on Fort Collins’ preference for craft beer (an art in its own right) over visual arts and crafts. What role does free beer play in your appreciation of local art galleries and in your purchasing of art?

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