THIS IS WAR!
INSANITY VS COMMON SENSE
Or
DOWNTOWN VS MIDTOWN
Once again…our city’s leadership (or lack thereof) has raised its ugly head to wreak havoc on one of the only positive, profitable and privately-funded events in Richmond – the “First Fridays Art Walk”
Once again…our “leaders”, ignored long-standing citizens’ complaints of vacant, dilapidated and unsafe buildings, electing instead to dispatch their minions to intentionally, with malice aforethought, conduct raids on non-profit art galleries just trying to keep their financial heads above water.
A few months ago, after a flurry of similar raids shook Richmond’s arts and music community to the core, the head of the now infamous CAPS Program openly bragged about scheduling their raids by scanning the “upcoming events” sections of local entertainment publications. After two consecutive front page cover articles appeared in “Style Weekly” and launched an angry backlash from the citizens, most thought common sense would finally prevail. Who in their right mind, however, would be so bold as to imagine our leaders exhibiting common sense when they can instead opt for lunacy.
Once again…the media was used by our leaders to inform us that city inspectors would forego protecting us from crime and corruption in favor of closely scrutinizing and raiding “dangerous art galleries” on Friday’s Art Walk. After effectively shutting down “Art 6” by evicting all but fifteen persons, half of them volunteer workers, they descended on the largest venue on the “Walk”, Gallery5.
For almost five years, Gallery5 has been named one of the top art venues in Richmond, attracting thousands of tax-paying citizens and money-spending visitors each month to its unique and innovative exhibits and activities. One such attraction, the wildly popular team of G5 FIRE, astounds and entertains massive crowds at Gallery5’s front door each month with its outdoor display of pyrotechnic wizardry.
Every monthly Art Walk since 2005, G5 FIRE has provided free, quality, family entertainment to an excited audience of thousands. In order to accommodate the revelers and protect them from oncoming traffic, permission was granted by the City to place safety cones around the performance area, effectively blocking one lane of Marshall Street. For almost five years, this voluntary lane closing has been safe, effective, and fully supported by the police officers who attend and watch over the event each month. That “common sense” approach came to a crashing end last night when more than a half-dozen of Richmond’s Finest, led by a portly Sergeant on a two-wheeled Segway (go figure), mounted their assault. Unswayed by the pleas from dozens of audience members and Gallery5 personnel, the police quickly dispersed the crowd and forced everyone else onto the sidewalk, effectively shutting down the entire fire performance. The angered crowd was electric, but orderly, with calls to the media punched in on cellphones throughout the retreating band of formerly happy partygoers.
The overwhelming display of institutional ignorance and power put a chill on everyone and everything. The party was over. The crowds left, and the headline band played to an empty house. The City’s heavy-handed tactics once again destroyed a wonderful evening for thousands of Richmonders and out-of-town visitors. Struggling non-profit galleries lost money, neighborhood restaurants lost customers and Richmond, once again, lost credibility. The City chose to send in several officers to destroy a successful event instead of dispatching one officer to handle traffic flow. But, again, when the intent is to intentionally inflict damage, there is no room in the equation for common sense.
Since the City of Richmond has declared WAR on the “First Fridays Art Walk”, the battle lines are now being drawn to fight back. In any war, innocent people get hurt, and this war will be no exception.
The City has, for the past seven years, refused to financially support the struggling art and music venues that make up the Midtown Arts District, preferring instead to throw all of its (with taxpayer money) support to the Downtown arts mausoleum, better known as Center Stage. Our city leaders have identified this “Sixth Street Market” of art and music as the epicenter for the rebirth of Downtown. That, by necessity, is where the battle begins.
BOYCOTT CENTER STAGE!
We must fight the City’s “destructive Might” with “constructive Right”. It is now time to start our own version of the Tea Party movement with a new Ar”T”y Party. We need to create our own version of the “Don’t Tread on Me” Tea Party flag and display them at every art and music venue throughout our city. We can’t allow the City to embrace corporate Downtown art at the expense of grassroots Midtown art. Last year’s “Inlight” festivities involved all of the Midtown art, retail and restaurant venues and attracted as many as ten thousand participants. This year’s “Inlight” debacle was stolen by Center Stage and attracted approximately 100 participants. So much for government and corporate takeover of the arts.
SAVE THE ARTS
JOIN THE
“ARTY PARTY”
