My Head's Exploding! (counting noses)

I just got asked why we count Art Walk exhibitions instead of artists.  Actually, we count both but, yes, we put greater emphasis on the number of exhibitions achieved each year.

Why?

Well, simply put, each time an exhibition takes place, that means, yes, that an artist has been juried in to display her works.  That also means that a downtown Edmonds merchant has willingly agreed to provide the exhibition space for free and to pay for the advertising.  (Usually they cough up the dough for appetizers and drinks, too.)  All this, at no cost to the artist.

That's why so many art walks ultimately fail.  The merchants just get worn out.  They get tired of providing all that for free, month after month.

Not our Art Walk, though!  Last year 497 exhibitions took place.  That means, 497 times, a merchant put up the cash to make that exhibition possible.  Why would they do that?  Well - and I think that this is the true secret of our Art Walk's success - the merchants put up the cash because they believe that investing in the Art Walk will increase traffic to their store.

To some that might sound mercenary.  Not to me.  Manya and I've always demanded that when it came to our Art Walk, we're only interested in win-win scenarios.  We chuck anything else.  If it's not simultaneously a win for the artist and a win for the merchant, we won't do it.  And, since the Edmonds Art Walk is in its ninth year, I suppose that's been the right decision to make.

Final thought:  This was pointed by a friend yesterday.  We did almost 500 exhibitions last year.  We did almost 250 exhibitions in 2007.  You know what that means, right?

Yep!  The Edmonds Third Thursday Art Walk doubled in size these last two years.

(Yikes!)

--Jeff

My Head's Exploding! (Art Walk exhibitions)

Anybody remember the first Art Walk?  Nine years ago?

Legend has it that we began, after much hand-wringing and nervous sweating (but not by me, of course), that first fateful evening almost a decade ago with five exhibitions.  (Or was it eight?  Nobody can remember.)  And we felt downright lucky to get 'em, too!

Clearly the Art Walk has grown a bit.  I've been going over the stats for the Edmonds Art Walk and, while I suspected the figures impressive, I never thought I'd see something like this!

Last year, 2009, alone, saw 497 art exhibitions and live music performances during the Art Walk!  (Well over 600 artists, musicians and authors were featured!)  What were the favorites?  Well, as you might expect, among the top five media are mixed media paintings and acrylic paintings and color photography.  Then, too, you also find oil paintings and watercolors, as well.

What else shows up at the top?  Mixed media (including group exhibitions).  Also jewelry and, surprisingly, fabric/textiles.  How about that, eh?

How does 2009 compare with previous years?  You guessed it!  The Art Walk is growing bigger every year!
Here's the breakdown, below. 
2010:  112 exhibitions (so far)
2009:  497 exhibitions
2008:  316 exhibitions
2007:  242 exhibitions
2006:  12 exhibitions (the first year we began recording stats)

I know what you're thinking.  (In fact, I can hear Bonnie H right now:  "Jeff, you fathead!  You only began recording stats in 2006!?  What were you thinking?!")  Well, the truth is that we honestly didn't expect the Art Walk to grow so large when we first began it.  In fact, we figured it would sputter on for a couple of years and, then, like most art walks, run out of gas.

Clearly, Edmonds' Art Walk has not!

--Jeff