Communities of Artists

Throughout the nation, there are communities of artists that appear in neighborhoods where conditions are right to host them. What are those conditions? Well, it begins with there being artists living and working in the vicinity. When there are a critical mass of artists who need space to work and space to exhibit their work, then leaders may emerge to organize attention to addressing these shared needs.

The broad need is for studio and gallery space. More specific needs center upon supporting specific types of arts. While painters may need studios, printers need printers, and ceramists need pottery equipment and kilns, for instance. There are many more painters than specialists such as potters and printmakers.

Of course, there is another consideration and that has to do with patrons. Where are they? Hopefully, patrons who support the arts by acquiring artwork live in areas that are accessible to art studios and galleries. Therein lies some challenges.

Often, economic developers favor encouraging artists to occupy real estate that is either in decline or underdeveloped. That space may not be in the most desirable locations. Therefore that may be contradictory to serving the needs or art patrons.

Both artists and art patrons often go with the flow in these matters because the attraction of artists and patrons produces a more desirable environment and therefore helps the community by enhancing potentially neglected or deficient property.

As an arts advocate who lives in Northern Virginia, I want to examine communities of artists and to report about their locations and profile their membership.

When a particular community has an open house or gallery and studio event, they typically do so at certain times. If they conduct an event on a weekday evening, for instance, that will constrain the hours and accessibility by the audience. Weekend events open the gallery and studios to a larger audience. Having weed day events expands the window of accessibility.

Social media and websites are a huge multiplier for marketing artists’ work and their credentials.

In the end, patrons must support artists by purchasing work to make it worthwhile for everyone. There is a caveat: Artists will keep making work, motivated by their passion, no matter what.