Here is an interesting idea for downtown La Crosse.
http://www.sculpturetour.com/

"SAVE THE DATE"
Everyone is invited to a casual gathering to discuss the ART BLOCK PARTY at the studio of Portrait Artist
Margaret "Peggy" Carter Baumgaertner from 5pm to 7pm on November 19th, 2011
There will be finger food and beverages provided. BYO if you like.
Peggy's studio is above the Monet Flower shop.
the address is: 507 Main St. La Crosse
Go in the door to the left of the Monet entrance
and go up the steps and to the second floor
then go to the right. Peggy's studio is large and can accommodate
many people. It'll be fun!

Here is an interesting idea happening in Wittenberg, WI.
http://www.shawanocountry.com/shawanocountry/area+info/arts++culture/barn+quilts+of+shawano+country.asp

Meeting on October 3rd at 9 a.m.

Just a reminder that the next festival planning meeting is scheduled for October 3^rd at 9 a.m.  It will be held  in the 3^rd floor conference room at La Crosse City Hall.


Until tomorrow.
M.

Suggestions from Art Block Party held on 9/16/2011

Location	Name of the event:	Offer participation to:	To have for security:	Offer Activities:
Block off 2nd Street and Pearl Street	Artie mall	Food vendors Lemonade stands Artisan food Outdoor cafe	Decorated bike patrol	Finger & face painting
Picnic areas	Taste of La Crosse	Blues, jazz, folk, etc. bands.	Large banner to mark parameter of art block	“Clean graphite alley
4 Sisters Tapas restaurant’s SE parking lot.	Family Arts Event	Limited to La Crosse, Onalaska, Holmen artists? Or 80% local?	Overnight security is needed because a lot of art is too heavy or cumbersome to be removed from the booths every night.	Paint under Cass St. bridge
Offer events throughout downtown.	Painters Alley	Give the underprivileged place at area marked by red tape and chance to display their works and sell them .  (Artworks and abilities)		Chalk party-people submit chalk drawings & others vote for the best entry. Kids to have their competition too.
Area with grass, not on pavement.	La Crosse Art Festival	Join with LCT to have a theater fest along with visual arts.  Think about a theater/art/hotel package for a weekend-then get a bike group to host a bike ride.		Include cooking contest too. (chili or pies or candies) Award prizes, too. Raffle
Oktoberfest grounds		Coulee Region wood turners		Poetry slam Readings
Cameron park		No buy sell		Street Theater  Dance and Flash mob dance
Location	Name of the event:	Offer participation to:	To have for security:	Offer Activities:
		Limit number of crafters in each category from the beginning.		Stage a patron’s painting and people as sculpture
				? create to grow all summer (flowers, cherry tomato)
				5K run-participants decorate their own shirts. At decorating area with materials provide.  Organize best shirt contest .
				High school flyer contest
				Community mural
				Have artist work on their artworks.
				Art auction
				Art drawing for works.
				Artist parade

Other suggestions:

·      Should be a juried art show with admission fee.   

Form committees  (organizational, funding PR, social, advisory, post event  evaluation committees.) Start planning the event and working in August before the holiday season starts, as it would be hard to get things going until January.  Have jury members from each category of art.

 (Cheri Haug has a lot of experience vending at craft shows and she volunteered to share her ideas and be on the organizational committee.

Ann Goldmann –organizational.

·      Involve business savvy volunteers( Rotary , SCORE, RSVP members)

·      Seek ideas/suggestions, help from Downtown Mainstreet if the event will bring people to downtown.

·      Prepare pimple map of Downtown La Crosse identifying where various activities are located.

·      Showcase the amazing area artists and market to local businesses along with tourists.

·      Check (google) Art Alley at Rapid City in South Dakota. They block off a street weekly and stage there concerts, art fair, booths with food, etc. 

·      Wednesday nights concerts, set u art booths with local artists displays.

·      PUBLICITY, PUBLICITY, PUBLICICTY

·      Finding: advertising  (tweet, e-mail, TV, radio, Facebook, billboard, flyers, posters, etc.  Use co-op services, WTC for printing.

·      Match art walk downtown and promote dates for every art experience, including local studios and galleries for tourists to check out .

·      Artists make an object and bring it to a downtown location and place them together. Material /medium could be same or different.

·      Get interior decorators involved with local artists.

·      Organize a local group of artists that would get together every 2 months, bring a piece of work, offer critique, discuss opportunities, discuss Art Block Party, etc.