Huge Arts District Update!

I'm back from my hiatus with a pretty big update on the Norfolk Arts District.  This thing is really starting to come together nicely, whether it's ordinance and zoning changes, discussions with building owners, grants to kick things off, artist walk-abouts to scout possible locations for art, or non-profit participation.  Stuff's about to get real.

First, AltDaily (who has really taken the lead in this), provided an update on where things stood as of two weeks ago.  The city planning commission and zoning department are in the process of updating codes that would allow for studios, shops, and cafes.  Believe it or not, there are a ton of outdated ordinances that prohibit these things in that area.  

For all of the criticism the city gets, they're actually really behind this and want to see it succeed.  The ordinance to officially create the district is currently in drafting by an arts task force comprised of local arts representatives.  This will then be presented to City Council for approval.

The Norfolk Public Art Commission's 6-week summer program pairing local artists with high-schoolers to create public art in Norfolk, will focus on the Arts district.  In addition, pending City Council's approval of the district ordinance, a $60,000 public art project in the district will be sponsored by the commission.

A few grants are also on the horizon, such as the NEA "Our Town" grant and the National Endowment for the Arts grant, which would enhance the area between the Chrysler Museum and the Chrysler Glass Studio creating a gateway to the rest of the district.  These grants will help create a sense of place and identity for the area.

I recently participated in an Arts District walk-about with planners and artists, and obviously the thing that stood out was the potential of the area.  It seems that a majority of the buildings are vacant and some can be bought or rented for relatively reasonable prices.  As I mentioned before, we learned that the city is very supportive of this project and it was pointed out that if a property was owned by the city, it would be much easier to inhabit or change.  Some of the deals currently in the works include a community garden, a center for art education, and an artist workspace/gallery.

Perhaps, the biggest news to come out of Arts District has been the announcement by Team Better Block that it has selected the district for a demonstration this April to reflect all of the neighborhood's potential.  Team Better Block specializes in revitalizing neglected and forgotten neighborhoods.  Check out this video for a better idea of what will go down.

So as you can see, there are a lot of things going on at once and many more on the horizon.   For updates or to get involved, check out the Arts District Facebook page.  If you're unfamiliar with the area, I've posted some photos from the walk-about below so you can see the potential yourself.