From: Chris Haycock (chrishaycock@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Sep 25 2002 - 22:56:55 CEST
Hi All,
As you may know, Blasthaus has supported me quite a
bit in the last year, especially with my residency for
the forward-thinking JOYPAD event. Over the last year
they have been responsible for bringing such notable
artists to the West Coast like Jazzanova, Theivery
Corp., Mr. Scruff, Turntables on the Hudson, etc. and
even responsible for massive art/music fusion events
at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).
They are now wrapping up the finishing touches to
their new gallery space in S.F. which will feature the
work of the hyper/multi-media artists.
Please take a moment to sign the petition... it means
alot to so many.
Best,
Chris Haycock
direct links:
more info:
http://www.blasthaus.com/letter.html
online petition:
http://www.blasthaus.com/petition.html
....................................................
Hi Folks,
We need your help.
Since February we (myself, Gregory Cowley, and Monika
Bernstein ) have been working on renovating a store
front in the Tenderloin to become the new blasthaus
gallery and have formed a partnership called
"REALSPACE". After several hurdles including - but not
limited to - lack of funds, time, retrofitting, water
leaks, and basically a huge endeavor in the remodeling
process, we are running into the greatest challenge
yet - politics.
We had decided to run this gallery as a private
business, rather than going through the route of
obtaining nonprofit status. Our decision to not go for
non-profit status was based on many factors including
the observation over many years of many non-profit
arts venues and their financial struggles, the very
competitive landscape in Northern California for
non-profit funding through grants and foundations, and
ultimately our desire to devote more time to
programming exhibitions and events.
This means that the only source of revenue is going to
be what the gallery space itself can produce. As many
of you know, time-based, technology and "new media
art" is difficult ( if not impossible ) to sell for
any reasonable profit margin. Regardless, we feel
strongly that these works are a very important part of
the art world and especially noteworthy here in the
Bay Area. We have thus devoted our operation to just
this genre.
In order to cover the costs of running the gallery we
had decided to obtain a beer and wine license to be
able to serve our patrons. Through this arrangement we
hope to create a social destination for people to come
to meet, talk, see lectures, screenings, and
experience some great artwork. We want people to stay
awhile and not feel pressured to leave once a
programmed event has finished, before it has started,
or on nights where there is no specific programming.
We feel that a "social art space" will help rebuild
the arts community at large, after having suffered
major setbacks and displacement over the past few
years.
This is not a bar. This is not a nightclub. We are
surrounded on all sides by tourist and residential
hotels and must be sensitive to them in order to
remain in the area. This is an art gathering space
with an atmosphere that is intended to be relaxed and
comfortable.
The programming for the gallery will include:
Regular artist exhibitions.
Guest lectures.
Film screenings.
Installations.
Artist residencies.
Community education programs.
and more as the community offers suggestions.
SO THIS IS THE DEAL:
In order to obtain the beer and wine license we have
to go in front of the board of supervisors Thursday
morning Sept. 26th and make our case.
The TNDC ( local tenderloin community group ) supports
our plans; the police department and several local
individuals who do not yet understand what such a
gallery can offer to the local environment do not
support us.
The opposition is making the case that our "bar" will
only add to the crime situation in the Tenderloin. Our
case is that our "gallery" will have the opposite
effect.
Our case is that the gallery will attract a crowd that
would not usually go to the Tenderloin. Our license to
serve wine, a traditional social elixir at art events,
will not proliferate the type of drunken roudiness and
criminal activity which are of great concern already
in the neighborhood . But the space will raise
awareness of what the area has to offer with it's good
valued restaurants, architectural beauty and diversity
and urban charm, while giving San Francisco another
much needed arts venue whose very mission is to help
reconnect the arts community.
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS...
Please sign our petition if you haven't already. I
need to get as many letters of recommendation as
possible in favor of our business model to serve beer
and wine as part of our operation. Please forward this
to as many people as you think would be interested in
supporting a new art space in San Francisco
If you do not have time to write a letter I can email
an example to you to print out on your letterhead and
fax to us.
FAX #: 415.567.3722.
Otherwise, an email response in support will do.
However we encourage you to cc the following
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org mark.leno@sfgov.org
jake.mcgoldrick@sfgov.org and cc all letters to
monica.fish@sfgov.org
Also, if you feel opposed to our plans I want to hear
about this as well.
Thank you,
William Linn
Director, blasthaus
http://www.blasthaus.com/letter.html
=====
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