[acid-jazz] Blasthaus gallery in S.F. needs your help. Please sign petition.

From: Chris Haycock (chrishaycock@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Sep 25 2002 - 22:56:55 CEST

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    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

    =====
    ICQ #65354258

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