Art Walk No Cakewalk

:: Dinner time. You’re sitting at table in a restaurant, digging into your meal. Someone walks up, stands next to your table. He stares over you at the art hanging on the wall. He leaves. Someone else comes up and looks over your shoulder at the art. It becomes difficult to enjoy your meal.

:: You know the Second Annual Downtown Plattsburgh Art Walk is scheduled today from 4 to 6 PM. One of the venues listed in the brochure is the public library. But you can’t see the art on display during the last hour of the event because -- as usual –- the library closes at 5 PM on Saturday.

:: Someone mentions the Spring Art Walk to you. Art Walk? What’s that?

The Art Walk is a good concept but once again the execution has been lacking. Last year I mentioned to a person involved with the project that it shouldn’t run during the dinner hour because some restaurants are busy serving customers, not focused on culture vultures. Obviously my logical suggestion was ignored.

And with my background in PR (public relations, not Press-Republican – please!), you have to get the info out at least a week before. I didn’t see an Art Walk poster until the day before the event, just one in the front window at the used bookshop.

Besides promotion, communication is key. The public library didn’t know it was supposed to stay open later or have green balloons outside indicating an Art Walk venue or have free refreshments ready. It was busy with its book sale.

Minor details, eh?