Toledo City Paper -Artomatic 419

How to Get the Most Out of Your Arts Weekend
by Ryan A. Bunch
Toledo City Paper
published September 12th 2007

Welcome to the second annual installment of Toledo’s most comprehensive display of local arts, Artomatic 419 Lite.

While the mega month-long event which was inaugurated in 2006 will return in 2008, this “off year” event sets the standard for a long weekend of art and arts related events known as Artomatic 419 Lite. Hundreds of local artists — some professional, some who’ve never shown before — will gather their work together in more than 1,000 feet of space at the beautiful and historic Fort Industry Square Building (corner of Jefferson and Summit Streets).

Thirty members of the local arts community comprised the Steering Committee of this year’s Artomatic 419 Lite event, and worked incredibly hard to bring you a fun-filled weekend full of positive support and information. Designed to highlight the Toledo area’s diverse creative community, the 419 Lite event is put on ‘for artists, by artists,’ with each participant volunteering a handful of hours of their own time to make it happen. But, the best part is it’s open to the public and there’s something for everyone.

Come out and celebrate the fact that we live in a community where individuals can put aside some time and work together for the benefit of everyone. That’s a pretty special thing, and that’s what Artomatic 419 is all about — Community.

Here’s your guide to one of the best weekends of the year. Have fun.

Thursday, September 13

  • Arts Trade Show, 4-6 p.m.: A collection of local businesses that provide services for local artists and sell art products will have displays at the Main Library during the artist development talks. Find out where to go and who to know.
  • Artist Development Presentations, 6-8:30 p.m.: One of the things local artists have requested most has been presentations on professional development. Well, here it is. Three lectures throughout the evening will cover a variety of topics to help you take yourself to the next level.
    • Finding Financial Help for Your Arts career, 6:00-6:40 p.m.: Linda Koss, Grantsmanship Specialist, Toledo Lucas County Public Library
    • OAC Individual Creativity Grants and On-line Artists Registry, 6:55-7:35 p.m.: Ken Emerick, Director of Individual Creativity, Ohio Arts Council
    • Toledo Artspace 360: Toledo Arts, 7:50-8:30 p.m.: Mark Harris, Web Services Manager, WGTE

Friday, September 14

  • Meet & Greet VI, 7-10 p.m.: This popular bi-annual event started with a very simple idea — Put together a fun night for artists to network and exchange ideas and see what happens. The result has been a stronger dialogue within the local arts community, Toledo’s only gallery loop and one of the most anticipated nights of the year for artists, arts enthusiasts and generally cool people. The coolest thing is that TCP checked a few surrounding cities and nothing like this, especially sponsored by the local arts commission, exists anywhere but here. This time, Meet & Greet will take place in The Lobby at Maumee Bay Brewing Company (27 Broadway St.) with a free gallery loop stopping at 20 North Gallery, Space 237, Brenda’s Chocolate Shop, Paula Brown Gallery, Collingwood Arts Center, Secor Gallery, Parkwood Gallery and the UT Center for Visual Arts.

Saturday, September 15

  • Artist Open Studios, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: The Artomatic 419 Lite Steering Committee has put together a Google map of seven stops you’ve got to check out. While you have to provide your own transportation to the studios (it’s not a loop), you get the unique opportunity to walk into nearly 100 studios where local artists make their magic. For the full map and more info, www.artomatic419.org.
  • Artomatic 419 Lite, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (Sat): Finally, it’s show time! At Fort Industry Square, scope the work of hundreds of local artists, stop in the Poetry Room and check out ‘Sit & Spin’ poetry with the 2007 Young Artists at Work group and the Madd Poets Society (noon), “Tell Me More about the Toucan” Shel Silverstein Poetry reading and The Reading Room Project, where folks will read letters and correspondence aloud (3 p.m.) and a poetry reading sponsored by the HyLife Media Group. Also, check out main stage performances by Johnny Porkchop’s Blues Revue (noon), The Swell Band (2 p.m.), comedian Steve Wherry (3 p.m.), screenings of the documentary “Two Toledos” throughout the weekend, a dance/hip-hop performance (5 p.m.), KBD (8 p.m.) Go Lab (9 p.m.), WEe (10 p.m.). Downstairs on the second stage, see live tattooing with Monk, performances by JWC (3 p.m.), The Homeville Circle (4 p.m.), Phantasmagoria (5 p.m.), Great Lakes Crew (7 p.m.), The (video) Drawers (9 p.m.), and The Antivillains (10 p.m.).

Sunday, September 16

  • Artomatic 419 Lite, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sun): It’s Sunday, and you probably didn’t get to see everything on Saturday, so come on back and polish off the weekend wandering through Fort Industry Square. Be sure to swing by the Poetry Room to learn about T.S. Eliot with Michael Hackney (11:30 a.m.), and poetry with John Dorsey, Ryan A. Bunch and friends (2:30). On the main stage, check the art fashion show (noon), Joe Meiser’s Transcendence Research performance (1 p.m.), solo acoustic crooner Cruz (3 p.m.), and Toledo School for the Arts dance troupe Hajera (4 p.m.). Downstairs, screenings of “Two Toledos,” poetry with HyLife Media (4 p.m.) and finally, Neo-soul/R&B singer Yasu polishes off the night and the weekend (5 p.m.).

For more info on parking, detailed schedules and explanations, etc., visit www.artomatic419.org