Intro: In my opinion and to the detriment of our city the arts continues to be an overlooked resource. Events like Luminarias, a renaissance of the theater and an overflowing of artistic expression in Southtown gives us the impression that we are experiencing a watershed moment. However, by and large local entities continue to invest in tourists and tourism; the arts seems like an afterthought . Which makes it all the more inspiring to see that the Alamo Community College District is investing in a new arts collective in the Westside.
Review: "Buena Noche" or the Good Night kicked off the grand opening of The Galleria 237, a new visual arts cooperative. Under the umbrella of the ACCD a program called "La Printeria" will offer print making classes to surrounding schools and neighborhoods . It is housed in the Edgewood Educational Training school, amongst other programs that will ultimately benefit this community. I was able to get a sneak preview of what this program will do and mean for the city.
The space itself is very impressive. It is located in a gym that has been converted into to a workspace. There are tables fixed in the middle of the room, amongst silk screening machines. The classroom is spacious, totally conducive for learning. All that is missing are the students. The goal, at least from what I gathered from the presentation is that classes would help to cultivate artistic skills. In turn students will acquire a marketable skill.
In terms of it fitting in the context of that vision I harken back to local artist, Cruz Ortiz(Papa John's Puro Pizza Time!)who has transposed his passion for printmaking into a career. I can see the potential for this program to self sustain itself through its various projects. For example I bought a print of the "Spurs Jesus" that could easily be sold during the NBA season. I certainly think it is important to encourage students to create pieces that express themselves. But it wouldn't hurt to make prints for Fiesta Week, Dia De Los Muertos or First Friday as fundraisers.
While I think this program has the potential to raise the profile of this area I left with a few general questions. What exactly are the qualifications to enter in this program? Is it based on age? Income? Is there a registration fee? What is the duration of the class? The specifics of the program seemed unclear but I think those details can be worked out.
La Printeria, a program sponsored by ACCD can be a catalyst for change in this area. Its idea is as vast as the untapped resource of arts and artists in the Westside. As the city continues to invest in development downtown it needs to spread that fortune to our communities and neighborhoods. Art equals imagination. Imagination equals creation. Creation equals innovation. read more