To apply to be a member of the Franklin Street Arts Collective, go to the Town of Chapel Hill's Web site (http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us): under Departments and Services; Economic Development; Art Collective and Related Information.
At the bottom of the page is a link to the member application.
By Erin Wiltgen
chh@heraldsun.com; 918-1035
CHAPEL HILL -- An art co-op and gallery prepares to make its Franklin Street debut after an interest meeting confirmed the enthusiasm of the local artist community.
It is hoped that the Franklin Street Arts Collective, set to open in a 3,000-square-foot space on East Franklin Street sometime this fall, will bring more people to Chapel Hill's downtown as well as enrich the art culture of the area, according to Martha Shannon, head of the Orange County Arts Commission.
"We definitely have the talent here," Shannon said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for artists to participate actively in our business."
The collective began May 2009 when Shannon and Dwight Bassett, Chapel Hill economic development officer, pitched the idea to a leadership group. The group has met bi-weekly since.
"We've been working behind the scenes for years to make something like this happen, some kind of artistic presence on Franklin Street," Shannon said. "This looks very promising."
The project has come a long way since that initial meeting, taking shape beyond a simple idea.
The collective itself will be artist-run and artist-driven, displaying and selling the works of both members and local, regional and national consigning artists.
Members separate themselves from consigning artists by dedicating time to the gallery, keeping a higher percentage of their profits and having an input in gallery decisions. Consigning artists pay a higher commission to the collective but don't have to dedicate any time.
Gordon Jameson, a member of the collective's leadership team, the artists' liaison for the Orange County Artists Guild and a painter himself, said the collective hopes to have 25 full-time members and about 25 consigning artists. Prospective members can apply until Sept. 30, after which an outside group will review the applications.
In addition to members and consigning artists, the collective will also hire a paid gallery director. Jameson said having a professional director on staff will not only give a consistent face to the gallery but also free members to pursue their own endeavors.
"A full-time person would be able to keep all the gears in mesh," he said. "A consistent face would be able to have an ongoing conversation with potential collectors. It makes a more stable environment for the gallery to go on."
Another solid foundation for the Franklin Street Arts Collective will be its merger with an existing local arts nonprofit, Arts Advocates. Arts Advocates began in 2004 to help create a community-based art gallery in the area. Since the Franklin Street Arts Collective will achieve this goal, the two will merge, making it possible for the new collective to more easily apply for and accept funding.
With the collective all but off and running, the leadership team still has a few logistics to cross off the list. For instance, the group needs the official permission of the Town Council, which didn't meet in July or August. Shannon said the collective will hopefully come up in a September meeting.
"We can't technically move forward until it's officially approved by them," she said.
But procedure aside, both Shannon and Jameson remain optimistic that the collective will open by November. And for Jameson, it couldn't come soon enough.
"My involvement is personal in this," he said. "I have been very fortunate as an artist, and I think it's my responsibility to give back to the community."
