Building arts near home!

And successful nonprofit examples

A Western scrub jay in motion, drawn and painted in Salt Lake City. These jays are common in yards and peanut theft incidents in North America’s Interior West. To see more of my work, click Snowseasons.

Can you walk to art in your area? If not, do you add it to your walls or make it to compensate? How important is it to you to find visual art nearby that stirs your mind and senses, and that others in your neighborhood can see as well?

When I lived in Salt Lake City, a little gallery sat down the street in a corner-facing early 20th century building. While passing on walks, you could look through plate-glass windows at interesting adult-student paintings and notices about live drawings.

I realize this sort of thing is fairly common in many areas with older buildings, but far less so in places with suburban layouts of strip centers. Also, as real estate prices climb, the number of banks and trendy eyewear shops tends to exceed indie arts spots.

True to form, gallery and its nonprofit organization eventually moved outside the neighborhood in search of cheaper real estate. Their departure was a loss to the area, but I think many of us valued its presence while they were there. They were located en route to a bird-y cemetery and parks, a double win for me: art + nature.

In Salt Lake City, my neighborhood was relatively centrally located. But as costs push residents from urban centers, more people are looking at the value of arts outside the main city. For instance, here’s a study about the value of arts and culture hubs that sprang up in the central suburbs of Paris.

In the subtropical city where I currently live, art is plentiful in central areas and slightly east. Museum manager friends in other cities have noted an amazement of art here -- world-class as well as outsider. That said, strip-center construction, home owners’ association restrictions, and real estate prices mean fewer spaces for seeing art in my immediate neighborhood. Areas like mine without much art access are echoed in parts of of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. I’d like to change that.

Within this neighborhood, it’s possible to travel on foot to a few coffeeshops and cafes safely set on smaller streets. Other spots are located across busy stroads and are fairly unwalkable. Ideally there’d be a little building at the nearby park with art exhibits, and other walkable art.

Potential locations for it exist nearby. Two community centers within three and five miles, respectively. A cute sewing center. Churches and a nearby YMCA. A Christian university around six miles distant. The JCC, which has good arts classes, around six miles south. And a community college, approximately seven miles west. Many of these are closed on Sundays. Libraries also sometimes have exhibits, but are closed many evenings and all Sundays.

A nonprofit, Alta Arts, is also located around three miles away, across heavy stroad terrain.

Have you thought of starting an arts nonprofit in your area? Would you begin fresh or collaborate with existing local nonprofits? How would you increase Sunday availability?

Coming later to this newsletter: arts nonprofit and health and art interviews.

Let me know: Are there things you’d like to hear about starting nonprofits near home or collaborating with existing ones?

Relatedly, did you know the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) has a conference Oct. 23-25 in this city, Houston? A virtual day also follows on Nov.12.

Here's to next time!

P.S. A few readers have mentioned their frustration at not being able to comment on paid posts. I agree that it makes very little sense, but it’s something Substack limits. I think you can comment on this free post. Please let me know if you have any issues with it. Would love to hear from you!

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