Real Estate

Portland artists begin work for a live/work space

by Sam Pfeifle

PACA-sponsored Arts Resource Workshop was just a lot of hot air, think again. A small but determined group of roughly 15 area artists and interested parties met last Tuesday for the third time since May in hopes of creating a space where artists can work, exhibit, perform, and go about their everyday lives, all in the same building.

Headed up by city-planner Alan Holt and visual artist Rose Marasco -- currently showing at the Aucocisco Gallery -- with help from PACA head Deb Krichels, and independent filmmaker Huey, among many others, the group has been exploring its organizational options, and the interest of area artists, before proceeding to the purchase of property.

They have collected information about "as many as 25 different developments around the country," says Holt, in hopes of answering questions about whether this will be a live/work space in the truest sense -- the artists actually live and work in the same building -- or a variation thereof, such as a collective performance or practice space more along the lines of the Oak Street Theatre.

They also have to iron out an ownership model. "It could be `all-American,' where the artists sell at market price when they leave," says Holt, "or it could be a cooperative, or involve limited-equity." On the other hand, some people are interested in setting up a nonprofit organization, where people don't have ownership, basically providing affordable space forever. In that case, says Holt, "people understand that you get a long-term lease, and when it's up, you pack your bags and leave."

In order to help them make educated decisions, the group is looking into meeting with Jero Nesson, author of Artists in Space: A Handbook for Developing Artists' Studio Space, published in conjunction with Fort Point Arts Community of South Boston. The handbook outlines the procedures and pitfalls of setting up an artist community.

Of course, numerous things need to be resolved before they can even think about taking any action, which may be as far as two years away, says Holt, but "right now we have about 35 interested people that have shown up to meetings. We want to find out more about what they're interested in." To that end the group has resolved to come up with a survey "full of all sorts of nosey questions" for interested parties to fill out, and they are compiling a database of names and numbers.

The next meeting will be at noon, August 29, at the Resource Hub on Congress Street. As for the meetings so far, "It felt good," says Marasco, "a number of people said they had a very positive reaction."