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thePeorian.com
The Present
it grow faster if there was a more
specific arts district in Peoria
where walking venue to venue
would be the norm?
Would it behoove the city to set
aside for a dedicated arts district
a portion of the Warehouse Dis-
trict as its development contin-
ues? Would it further be in the
city’s interest to somehow gives
financial support to that district?
The arts community would
certainly welcome it.
“Arts district can make a big
difference to a community when
cities support the district. It
seems to me with what Peoria
wants to do with its Warehouse
District it would be almost like
the poster child for using the arts
for helping to revitalize an area,”
Landesman said.
Said Boulais, “We, of course,
would be very pleased if there
was something set aside in the
Warehouse District for the arts.
The city is aware the arts commu-
nity must stay a vital part of the
Warehouse District and there is a
lot of space available for our arts
community.”
Butler believes there is some-
thing to be said for being able
to stay independent without
government help. Those who
have invested in their own space
in Peoria should be commended,
he added.
But for the most part, he
added, “Artists can’t afford it.
But artists do have a willingness
to work hard to keep their space
nice. It shows their pride. I think
our arts community would be
enthusiastic about space in the
Warehouse District but most
couldn’t afford to do it on their
own. It would be worth it to the
whole are, I believe, for the city to
invest in its arts community.”
Butler said he believes it also
would help the visual arts to
become more known if the arts
community was more compact.
“The city has talked about want-
ing to have a ‘pleasant walking
experience’ downtown. I think
Peoria Heights is a place that has
more of a sense of it right now.
There is an area in St. Louis called
The Loop that has it. Somebody
there organized it and it has been
a huge success. Organization is
what it takes,” he said.
It also takes a little different
mindset, those involved agreed.
“We really have to treat it like a
business. If we’re going to do it
right we have to make it worth-
while for those involved, includ-
ing investors,” Butler said.
Chitwood said she believes
the local business community
would be more willing to invest
in the arts if it saw there was a lot
of public support, if the people
who frequent those businesses
were people apt to frequent the
art scene. “You have to think
like a business person when you
are trying to sell the arts. Until
we can show them the numbers
they want to see, we won’t get
government entities and business
to come around.
“Bigger is better in this case;
a chorus is a heckuva lot louder
than a soloist,” she said.
Below: Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts,
speaks during a reception at Wildlife Prairie State Park last year.