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Main Street Bartow, Inc. put a new spin on economic development with an innovative approach to attracting attention to unoccupied buildings and spaces in their Main Street District. Following the current Pop-Up Art Gallery craze—with a slight twist—Main Street Bartow displayed local artwork alongside building spec sheets in the windows of ten unoccupied buildings. While a short-term beautification project, it has the long-term potential to bolster occupancy rates downtown.
Main Street Bartow Executive Director, Laura Simpson, was eager to share how the concept came about. “After reading about pop-ups galleries and touring a few in South Florida, members of our Design Committee shared a desire to bring this concept to Bartow. The Design Committee was looking for ways to improve the aesthetics of some of our empty storefronts, while our Economic Redevelopment Committee was working on ways to fill the spaces. This effort was the perfect marriage of both needs for downtown Bartow.”
Main Street Bartow’s Pop-Up Art Tour launched in August, showcasing AppArt works in the windows of available downtown buildings. (left) Artwork on display at 120 Central Avenue. (right) Artist Kelly Mims White poses with her piece at 330 E. Main Street.
Once the concept of a Pop-Up Art Tour was approved, the type of art displayed was discussed. “We discussed various photography mediums, formal paintings and other artistic elements; however, when the idea of AppArt was presented we jumped at the opportunity to do something new, innovative, and inclusive of everyone with a smart phone,” noted Simpson. Creating artwork with AppArt is simple, fun and easy to do. Just take a picture of something--without a copyright infringement--and then edit it on a smart phone using various editing apps. Anyone can become an artist and the results are amazing.
After the call to artists went out, over seventy-five art pieces were submitted. Fifteen piece by six different artists were ultimately selected to be featured in the project, including Jaci Swarts of Melbourne, Barbara Canning of Lakeland, Cathrine Pfeiffer of Miami, Virginia Condello of Highland City, and Trish Pfeiffer and Kelly Mims White of Bartow.
Artist Virginia Condello poses with her artwork at 395 E. Main Street. Building spec sheets with space details and potential usage ideas are posted to the right of the piece.
“The fifteen pieces of art were selected to appeal to various viewers,” explains Simpson. “We had a beautiful piece of a bicycle in a local yard, a dog an artist interacted with at the beach, and also abstract pieces.”
Once selected, the pieces were printed and installed in storefront windows by volunteers.
The artists were invited to launch the Pop-Up Art Tour exhibition with an opening reception held during Main Street Bartow’s Main Street Friday Fest, a monthly block party featuring live music, vendors, children’s activities, and food and drink. The artists joined a walking tour of Pop-Up Art locations, sharing their stories behind the pieces along the way.
Along with the artwork, fact sheets featuring building specs and space, as well as some suggested ideas and potential possibilities for use, were included at each of the Pop-Up Art locations.
“Our downtown property owners and local real estate agents eagerly embraced the idea and funded the printing the artwork displayed in their storefront,” said Simpson. “The added exposure of the properties is a win-win in our partnership with those looking to lease or sell properties downtown.”
(left) Front and back of Pop-Up Art Building Tour “pocket card” (right) Detail of “pocket card”
Pop-Up Art is displayed so it is easily viewed by pedestrian and drive-by traffic alike. Artwork freshens up the vacant spaces, drawing attention to what could become a successful business opportunity or potentially a vibrant office space. The information displayed with the artwork encourages entrepreneurs, or someone thinking about going into business, to seek the help and guidance of Bartow’s many business-supporting organizations—which include Main Street Bartow, Inc., the Bartow Community Redevelopment Authority, Bartow Chamber of Commerce, and Bartow’s Small Business Administration.
Pop-Up Art Building Tour “pocket cards” are posted next to the art in storefronts and are also available at the Main Street office, downtown retailers and the Polk County Historical Museum, located on Main Street. Each pocket card lists all fifteen artworks, buildings, spaces, and realtor contact information, and serves a self guided tour.
The current Pop-Up Art Building Tour will be up until February 2016, when it will be replaced with a new series of art, depending, of course, on building and space availability. The type of artwork will change but the concept of mixing art with economic development will only continue to grow.
For more information please call Main Street Bartow, Inc. at (863) 519-0508 or email Executive Director Laura Simpson at lsimpson@mainstreetbartowfl.com.
How to Plan a Pop-Up Art Tour:
Create a call to artist noting the type of artwork to be selected. Distribute through media and local art guilds. (3 months out)
Visit with local sign shop/printer to determine the cost and appropriate sizes of artwork. Make sure artwork complies with sign ordinances. Also, consider the material and how it will withstand sun, heat, etc. (3 months out)
Visit with property owners and their real estate agents, confirming access for installation. Discuss potential uses they would like conveyed and appropriate contact information to share on promotional materials. Secure reimbursement of funding for printing of artwork and invoice for such. (3 months out) (Bartow’s cost was approximately $50 a piece to print. Volunteers installed the pieces.)
Choose an impartial selection committee to review pieces submitted and select artwork. Reach out to the artists selected with waivers for artwork uses and obtain high resolution images. Also reach out to those artists not selected. (2 months out)
Create “pocket card” of artwork and building contact information. (1 month out)
Create media release of artwork and release date. (1 month out)
Install artwork. (1 week out)
Host launch event, inviting media, artists, property owners, and local VIPs.
Laura Mills Simpson is the Executive Director of Main Street Bartow, Inc. Serving her hometown in this capacity since November 2014, the organization as welcomed 6 new businesses downtown and expanded relationships with downtown property owners to assist in future business recruitment and redevelopment. Laura can be reached at lsimpson@mainstreetbartowfl.com for more details and to follow-up on the success of this project.
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Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) had the opportunity to take Missouri Executive Directors and other community representatives on the Iowa Community Expedition
District Spotlight: Pontiac, Michigan
In response, UrbanMain and Main Street Oakland County joined forces in March 2018 to assist Pontiac stakeholders in putting their downtown organization back on a positive track, making Pontiac the first community in Michigan to participate in the UrbanMain initiative.
2018 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets Winning Sites
American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America announced the winners of the 2018 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign.
2018 Community Transformation Workshop Recap
An essential component of the Main Street America Institute, the three-day in-person workshop gives participants hands-on tools to enact revitalization projects in their communities.
A Statewide Movement Improving West Virginia Main Streets
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Community Spotlight: Main Street Hampton
Main Street Hampton hosted a Food and Friends Farm-to-Table dinner at the Rustic Brew during Main Street Iowa Restaurant Week.
Community Spotlight: Partners in Preservation 2018
From community gathering spaces to retail incubators, from small towns to big cities – this year’s projects and communities are a testament to the diversity of Main Streets across the country.
Community Spotlight: Ames, Iowa
Downtown Ames hosted a festival for the 46th annual RAGBRAI race (The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa).
7 Ways To Bring Your Main Street On Screen
You don’t need to be a big-name district to make a video that goes viral; you just need to know what you’re doing.
Comcast Newsmakers: Revitalizing Downtown
Matt Wagner, National Main Street Center's Vice President of Revitalization Programs, discusses competitive advantages, incrementalism and the power of the Main Street America network
Community Spotlight: Main Street Homer, Louisiana
Main Street Homer (Homer, Louisiana) was awarded a $25,000 A Community Thrives social impact grant from Gannett/USA Today Network to create an arts center with affordable artist studios and classroom/event space.
Evolution, Acceptance, and Change: The Main Street Approach as a Catalyst for Revitalization
Nearly slated for demolition 30 years ago, downtown Cedar Falls has experienced an amazing transformation through its revitalization journey using the Main Street Approach.
Main Street Roots Run Deep in Downtown Wytheville
Since starting as Executive Director, Todd has helped the organization achieve Virginia Main Street Designation Status and national Accreditation.
Announcing the 2018 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc., announced Downtown Oregon City, Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, and Howell Main Street as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners during its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Main Streets in Action
We rolled out four new Main Street America videos highlighting the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street's grassroots network so effective.
Community Spotlight: Ridgefield Main Street
Ridgefield Main Street is an energetic, up-and-coming Washington Main Street program located just north of Vancouver, Washington.
Want to do something big? Start small.
A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: The Refresh from Our Communities’ Perspective
Here's a bit of background on each of the communities. Read on for the Refresh Implementation Q&A.
Announcing the 2017 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc. announced the 2017 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) during its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Reality of Main Street — Letter from the President
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: Our Process and Lessons Learned So Far
Michigan Main Street Center was the first Coordinating Program to implement the new Main Street approach on a large scale. In this article, they share their robust process and valuable lessons.
The Reality of Main Street
There is another way for smaller communities to compete in today’s economy and we believe a strong main street strategy is at the heart of it.
The Myth of Main Street? Letter from the President
Letter from past MSA President, Patrice Frey
The Lowdown in Downtown LaBelle
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Strategic Planning Through Transformation Strategies – Saline, Michigan
Back in October 2015, we introduced the three key components of the refreshed Main Street Approach: inputs, outputs and Community Transformation Strategies.
Revitalization and Main Street Transformation
For a lucky few downtowns, greatness may happen effortlessly with a strong sense of place that seems to develop organically and simply sustain itself. For most places, success doesn’t happen by chance.
Revisit Your Community’s Unique Assets: Connecting Asset-Based Economic Development to Community Transformation Strategies
This need for change results from the heavy emphasis on three components of the refreshed Main Street Approach.
The 2016 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The 2016 winners are a diverse group in geography and character, but together demonstrate the broad applicability of the Main Street Approach:
Main Street Nation Radio
The first official show under the Main Street Nation banner aired in June 2015 on WJR-760 AM Detroit.
The Path To The Future
The economic value of historic preservation on Main Street.
Refresh Demonstration Project Sites: Learning Labs for the Updated Main Street Approach
A series of demonstration projects providing the opportunity to test new strategies on the ground, learn from practitioners, and refine the approach.
Why Business Retention and Expansion Plans are Important for Downtowns
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
Wisconsin Main Street: 27 Years of People, Places and Progress
While there have been over $1.2 billion in public and private investment in Wisconsin Main Street communities over the past 27 years, what really makes it special are the people and places that have been involved.
A Walk Through Rehoboth Beach Main Street
Although a “beach town,” Rehoboth Beach is open 365 days a year, and with that has the unique challenge of catering to both year-round residents and tourists within a wide range of ages, interests and economic levels
Independent We Stand Makes Main Streets a Priority
In communities across the country, hardworking business owners and buy local advocates come together to foster an organized effort to reinvent and revitalize Main Streets and downtown districts.
Announcing the 2015 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce that Cape Girardeau, Mo., Montclair Center, N.J., and Rawlins, Wyo. were selected as the 2015 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) winners.
