Storefront Art-A Quick Inexpensive Beautification Project

Dear members of the Eugene Downtown Neighborhood Association-

I want to thank you for your ideas and hospitality at last night's Eugene Downtown Association meeting. I am glad that both of our organizations are in agreement about economical simple actions that create a safe public friendly environment for the center of our beautiful city.

The Eugene Storefront Art Project was formed by three concerned citizens in January 2010 after seeing the success of storefront art projects in other cities around the country. San Francisco's storefront art program endorsed by the mayor and city council had generated great interest and has brought citizens back to abandoned downtown neighborhoods. Preliminary studies indicate that these projects have brought millions of dollars in revenue back to hard hit areas.Last fall in San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom supported the launch of a program in the Tenderloin and Central Market Street areas. “Elders danced on the sidewalk, friends cruised along Market Street to check out the thought provoking contemporary art for free, and yes, folks even spent cash at the local bars and eateries,” he wrote in a story for the Huffington Post .

Our mission at E.S.A.P is as follows:

-To place short term exhibits in empty Eugene area storefronts to demonstrate Eugene's commitment to the arts, while beautifying downtown areas and allowing artists a unique canvas.

-To promote new art and improving the quality of life while creating an artistic environment and making vacant properties more desirable.

-To facilitate happenings and events in vacant storefronts, urban spaces and community oriented businesses featuring the work of artists in different media, such as visual art, performance and music

-To develop ways to use empty buildings as temporary studio space available to artists until rented.

This is a simple process that requires only the good faith and trust of property owners and artists willing to lend their work. At this point in time this simple exchange of art for space is the easiest economical way to brighten empty downtown storefronts.

After drafting agreements for landlords and artists, E.S.A.P. has installed two exhibits: David P. Miller’s sculptures in 857 Willamette, a Lane Council of Governments building, and Melissa Mankins’ photography at 62 W. Broadway,the site for the new Cowfish dance club.

We are hoping to install many more projects in the downtown core as well as in other areas of Lane County.
To accomplish this we need to spread awareness of our principles and our goals. We also are in the need of operating capital to defray expenses incurred by our three volunteer members.

I hope that the Downtown Neighborhood Association will help us spread the news about our desire to add color to Eugene, and help us find ways to obtain funding that will allow us to continue our humble goals.

I appreciate your interest and desire to work with us in making Eugene "the city of the arts and outdoors".

Thank You,

Eugene Storefront Art Project
Marc Gunther
Paula Goodbar
Peter Herley