Spaceworks project puts temporary art in vacant Tacoma spaces
ROSEMARY PONNEKANTI; Staff writer
To many, it might look like a recession symptom – a stretch of empty downtown storefronts with all businesses gone. But to an artist, it looks like the perfect creative space.
And so, for the next few months, the artists will fill Tacoma’s empty spaces with visual art, dance, film and more through Spaceworks, a City of Tacoma project.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” said Amy McBride, the City’s arts administrator and catalyst for the project, which is being co-managed by the Arts Commission and nonprofit arts resource group Shunpike. “Seeing spaces standing empty for 10 years, I thought there had to be a better thing to do with them.”
So McBride, on behalf of the City Arts Commission, got together with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and nonprofit arts resource group Shunpike to organize Spaceworks Tacoma: a project which uses temporary art to enliven streets. It’s an idea working already in many cities from Kirkland to San Francisco to Pittsburgh, and it marries the city’s need to make empty space more attractive and vibrant with artists’ perennial need for cheap, visible space.
Pulling Spaceworks off, though, was “huge,” says McBride. “We couldn’t have done it without the property owners, Colliers International,” who have allowed resident artists to move rent-free into vacant buildings.
The result, so far, is promising. The Spaceworks projects are divided into creative enterprise, artist residencies, pop-up events and temporary installations called Artscapes. Round One of these has already begun in many of the spaces downtown (see box for details), and a block party on July 29 will celebrate the opening. Round Two participants will take over in early fall.
At 906 Broadway, opposite the Pantages Theater, Tory Franklin’s installation of “The Firebird” has been up for a few weeks. Flying through the interior of the red brick building is a cut-out of the Russian prince in the legend, chasing the Firebird, with clothes and feathers adorned in rich red-and-gold patterns like baroque fabric. Embossed in vinyl on the windowpane is part one of the story in a red, medieval font, and overhead, paper clouds float with cut-out stars. In the next window of the building, Michelle Acuff has sculpted a blue deer with a massive tangle of antlers behind a windowpane full of pink foam antler shapes. Sculpted birds perch on a knocked-over traffic cone.
“I love it,” said downtown worker Shannon Irwin, walking past on her lunch break. “It’s encouraging to walk past and see something different in every window.”
“It’s a great use of space,” agreed Irwin’s coworker Vivian Leach. “And it’s artistic and beautiful to look at.”
Other spaces filled with art include:
• 950 Pacific Ave. (containing June Sekiguchi’s enormous hanging paper eggs);
• The Woolworth windows at Broadway and South 11th streets;
• 913 Pacific Ave., which will house an alt-Shakespeare company’s open rehearsals and shows;
• 904 Broadway and 915 Pacific Ave., which contain artist retail boutiques.
There’ll also be art installations and performances in Tollefson Plaza from now through November.
For the artists, Spaceworks is a boon. The space is free, and Artscape artists such as Franklin and Acuff receive a $500 stipend while Tollefson Plaza artists will receive a $2,000 commission. Most of the artists are from Tacoma.
“I think Spaceworks is fantastic,” says Tacoma filmmaker Sarah Mangum of Aroma Productions. Together with partner Aaron Flett, Mangum will take over one of the available spaces to use as a film set: Their film “Jesus 4 Less” tells of two atheists who work in their uncle’s Christian bookstore. From the street, the space will look just like a real bookstore, and the filmmakers intend to invite the public in for viewing and as extras. (Details at
www.jesus4less.com)
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the community to see art projects happening around them,” Mangum said.
McBride said she hopes this pilot effort will be ongoing. “What’s different about Tacoma’s Spaceworks is that we’re nurturing creative energy on different levels – (we) allow people to try things out that they haven’t done before. It also brings a presence to downtown; makes it a destination. I’m really excited about what happens from it.”
Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568
rosemary.ponnekanti@thenewstribune.com
SPACEWORK/ARTSCAPES PROJECTS
Vacant spaces in downtown Tacoma will be filled from now through fall with a rotation of artist projects. Spaceworks takes in both ongoing art and performance, while Artscapes features static art installations or one-time performances. The first round goes up this week; the second round happens in early fall.
SPACEWORKS OPENING BLOCK PARTY
When: 4:30-8 p.m. July 29
Where: Broadway between South Ninth and South 11th streets
What: Includes guided walking tours at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., free walking maps, beer garden and performances from 6-8 p.m. including film screenings, dance, spoken word and live outdoor music.
Information:
www.spaceworkstacoma.com
SPACEWORKS ART
904 Broadway: First Round: Jennifer Adams creates gallery/retail boutique FLY for local artists.
1114 Broadway: Filmmaker Isaac Olsen works on new film and sells merchandise. Art and photography teacher Joshua Everson opens portrait studio and teaches. Fiber artist Meghan Lancaster displays and creates new work.
913 Pacific Ave.: First Round: Fringe theater company Shakespeare in the Parking Lot rehearses and performs a new production
Second Round: Ceramicist Susan Thompson makes and sells pottery
915 Pacific Ave.: First Round: Fashion designer Tiffanie Peters creates boutique showcasing her own designs.
ARTSCAPES ART
906 Broadway: First Round: Ben Hirschkoff, Michelle Acuff, Tory Franklin. Second Round: Barbara de Pirro, Sisy Anderson and Scott Huette, Holly Senn.
Woolworth Windows (Broadway and South 11th Street): First Round: Lisa Kinoshita, Gretchen Bennett, Joseph Songco, Andrew Peterson team, Zeitbike crew. Second Round: Kyle Dillehay, Alice di Certo, Tomlinson team, Alexandra Opie
950 Pacific Ave.: First Round: Coss/Sekiguchi/Horn. Second Round: Alyson Piskorowski
Tollefson Plaza
July 15: Alexander Keyes (sculpture)
July 31: James Sinding, Janet Marcavage (interactive sculpture, prints)
Sept. 16: Carla Barragan (dance)
Nov. 15: Monika Proffit (light piece)
