"Our galleries are gasping for breath"

Tammy Christel wrote an interesting post today on her Jackson Hole Arts Blog about the state of the arts in Jackson as the community enters the tourist season. She includes the "Arts Mean Business" article written by Bruce Richardson and posted on the WAC blog on March 19 and later on the op-ed pages of the Casper Star-Tribune. Bruce is the WAC board chair and recently traveled to Jackson to speak to its arts community. Read Bruce's column at http://wyomingarts.blogspot.com/2009/03/arts-mean-business-and-economic.html.

Here is a portion of Tammy's June 5 post:

Our galleries are gasping for breath. I’ve posted an idea about window art being utilized to fill and brighten empty storefronts; sent a letter to the editor at the Jackson Hole News & Guide that has yet to appear. Which is o.k., because we’ve got some mega-issues going on with our revised Comprehensive Plan.

We need some stop gap action, though; simple, non-political gestures to shore us all up while the economy writhes and we search for a livable future for Jackson. Our Center for the Arts needs a loan, galleries have closed, artists are scrambling. Artists are leaving, too. Comprehensive Plans include internal solutions, solutions that don’t have to do with sketching out a building, but that include using our hearts, minds and space in the most giving ways.