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Columbus Alive wrote
Can Columbus make its mark in indie art?
November 15, 2007
As the Dispatch reported on October 19, an Atlanta firm hired to research the demand for a new convention hotel in Downtown Columbus confirmed a fact that was already simmering among city leaders: Columbus needs to do a better job of marketing itself.
Experience Columbus CEO Paul Astleford described the current situation as “a complete lack of image in the national marketplace.”
A grassroots group of artists has come up with a unifying identity they believe the city can get behind, and a new slogan, “Columbus: Indie Art Capital of the World.”
Spearheading the effort is Mike Reed, web developer and member of the Couchfire artists’ collective, and Daniel Fox, proprietor of on-demand T-shirt marketplace Skreened. But as Reed stressed during a recent conversation, “It’s shaping up to be an everyone thing.”
Related Stories:
- Indie Art Capital of the World on WBNS-10TV
- Columbus is the Indie Art Capital of the World
Right now those main contacts are Daniel and Mike (their names were on the press release) so they’ve been tasked as cheerleaders for the movement, and I see nothing wrong with that. They’re both great about letting people know this is a very inclusive movement.
As time moves on, I’m sure we’ll have more points of contact and more cheerleaders who share in some of the media spotlight as well.
Cheerleaders was a great term to use walker. Because with sports the game wouldn’t be anything with simply cheerleaders. The game needs Players, Coaches, and Referees as well to be a reality.
I’m not in any way knocking the press.
I think I would like to be a coach. I don’t have the looks to be a cheerleader.
But seriously. There are some good thoughts being thrown around here. I think what helps me think that the two of them in the paper being OK is that I have talked to them. When concerns about how this is developing have come up… I have stated them to Daniel and Mike. Both seem as if they are attempting to be benevolent in the position they are being put in. As I work to do my form of support for the cause… I’ve never had them state that they are against it.
I do think it is hard to be in their position. I have had similar issues with Couchfire. Someone has to talk. Someone is going to write that down. I am just glad that the people doing the talking are taking everyone into account. I think they see the value in that.
Maybe a good solution, would be for Daniel and Mike to begin partnering with people. (I have been to several meetings with media along side them, and have been able to voice my opinion, unhindered). I’m sure Mike and Daniel would have no problem helping the media and the groups they have been meeting with understand WHO the important players in all this are. They would most likely be willing to point out others who are actively making this happen.
I think it will be essential for the longevity of the movement.
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Baltimore tries to break free of Rust Belt image
Baltimore left the Rust Belt behind years ago, but local economic development marketers think the metro area has yet to shed the reputation of a struggling manufacturing hub. They want to get out-of-town companies and locals to think of the Baltimore region as an equal of affluent Seattle, Denver and San Diego, rather than besieged Cleveland and Detroit, its historical peers.
“Often in the national media, we continue to be lumped in with what we were 30 years ago,” he said. “I think Baltimore for some time has suffered from something of a self-esteem or inferiority complex,” said Frisch, a member of the alliance’s board.
Hm, so it’s not just us. Is anyone else starting to think this might be a general problem with urban areas on a national scale?
[url]http://www.wosu.org/television/local-programs/program-artzine/[/url]
So how does one make “arts television” intersting though? I’m mean… love Bob Ross (“Happy little trees”) and all, but … a television program dedicated to live music performance seems like a no-brainer. But I’m not sure what kind of form a television show dedicated to indie art would take. I’m not talking about a one-off program or article… I’m talking about a series. How would that look? What’s the format?
Hm, so it’s not just us. Is anyone else starting to think this might be a general problem with urban areas on a national scale?
Yes. But few places ever emerge from their situations, very few. Those that do flourish. It’s probably easier for Columbus to emerge from “no image” that bad image.
I like the format of Art 21. I’ve attempted to put out an art-podcast before, but I don’t have the time right now to really put a lot of effort into that (sorry!). But if some folks would be interested, I have video and audio editing software, and I’d be willing to help to put out an audio or video podcast of c-bus artists.
Would anyone be interested in something like that?
I like shiny things.
I want them ONLY if it involves flying poop.
Sara, I’d love to see something where not just visual artists or fine artists were represented.
I’d love to see a video where anyone and everyone in Columbus was asked, “What do you do that you take special care and attention with? What’s your passion?”. Because even asking people that when I’ve been out at parties or what have you, people have a lot of interesting things to say. That’s what I’d love to see as the general atmosphere of our city.
So thanks for that, I’ll keep it in mind because I might be into working on that.
that’s one reason why I’d need help, I only know what I know, ya know?
Maybe a good solution, would be for Daniel and Mike to begin partnering with people. . . . I’m sure Mike and Daniel would have no problem helping the media and the groups they have been meeting with understand WHO the important players in all this are. They would most likely be willing to point out others who are actively making this happen.
right on man,
no one owns this, and very soon people will forget who even came up with the idea.
When people adopt this way to reimmagine our city into their own language and marketing, it becomes part of common knowledge, public domain.
So when someone like Laura Alexander decides to put together spark – the hang-hang-it-yourself show, she’s the one people go to. Being in the indie art capital of the world just informs her thinking about what she’s doing.
It’s a crowd-sourced idea open to a lot of interpretations. The more people adopt it, the more it will be adopted in turn. Thus diffusing ownership and becoming a generally accepted fact about the city we live in.
I guarantee you, if skybus adopted this next week, no one would give a shit who Mike and Daniel are – and that is an excellent place to be.