HELP DESIGN THE FUTURE “COAL AVENUE COMMONS” By Rose Eason, Executive Director of gallupARTS As writers, artists, and musicians know, downtowns are the heartbeats of a community. Downtown is where the energy is, where creativity resides, where “When you’re the people are, alone and life is and where making you lonely, possibility lives. you can always go And Gallup’s downtown.” downtown is full – Tony Hatch of possibility. Hopefully you A Coal Avenue “event street” was identified as the community’s #2 project priority through the Metropolitan heard the news Redevelopment Plan. This design drawing (from that Plan) imagines only one possibility for the street’s re-design. that the City of Gallup, in partnership with Through the Coal Avenue Commons project, we’ll work together to develop a shared vision and the ultimate design! gallupARTS, received a $150K “Our Town” grant from the National Endowment owners, property GET INVOLVED for the Arts, matched by $150K in local “Downtown. Lights owners—to work In order to have a successful creative funding, for a creative placemaking on buildings and together to shape the placemaking project and produce an inspired project to redesign Coal Avenue as an unique downtown everything that and smart plan for a Coal Avenue Commons, “event street.” they want to live, we’re counting on makes you wonder.” Let’s break that down: work, shop, eat, visit, you, the community, – Stephen Chbosky and play in. to participate. You are CREATIVE PLACEMAKING invited to share your First, what in the world is “creative EVENT STREET ideas, inspirations, placemaking?” Creative placemaking is an Second, an “event street”—is that what it visions, concerns, economic sounds like? Yes and no. An “event street” questions, and insights development “People talk about isn’t a prescribed concept; it can be almost in multiple ways over strategy wanting amenities— anything in service of the best interests the course of this design defined by two downtown is the of a community (see above: “creative project, which launches core principles: placemaking”). For Gallup’s downtown, the amenity.” this month. Here’s how: artist general idea is to create a pedestrian and – Jack White involvement Ongoing: business-friendly environment (without closing Visit www.coalavenuecommons.com or follow and the street to traffic!), to facilitate community us on Facebook @CoalAvenueCommons. See community gatherings and events like ArtsCrawl, parades, what we’re up to and share your thoughts! engagement. It is a way to ensure that design music festivals, and farmers’ markets, and and development do not happen in a vacuum, to express the immense beauty, history and This Month (April): but rather, are rooted in the culture of a place. • Tuesday, May 1st: Kick-off Event - 6:00pm / El culture of our community within two blocks Through creative placemaking, artists become Morro Theatre of Coal Avenue. What we’re after is more problem-solvers, putting their imaginations • The public is invited to help get this to work to reinterpret project off the ground with a celebratory and “If you “Uptown is for people who and reconceptualize informative launch party. don’t have a have already done something. spaces. As they • Friday, May 11th: Focus Group Meetings (by invitation only) downtown, engage the broader Downtown is where they’re doing community in their you really something now.” – Andy Warhol Coal Avenue Commons: In One Word efforts, they spark don’t have Imagine your ideal future downtown Gallup: widespread creativity, anything. It’s what one word captures your vision? Post opening the doors than simply an “event street,” it’s a “Coal your word to the @ArtsCrawlGallup or @ hard to build to new ideas and CoalAvenueCommons Facebook pages, or Avenue Commons.” In fact, that’s what we’ve a community different directions. e-mail it to artscrawl@galluparts.org by May named this project. Creating a Coal Avenue around parking Ultimately, creative 5th to have it included in a graffiti mural Commons is an important part of an overall placemaking is a lots and visualizing everyone’s contributions, painted strategy to develop a multi-block, walkable way for the entire by local artist Bear Mescale. The mural will be subdivisions.” area throughout downtown, stretching from community—artists, revealed at ArtsCrawl: Pop! on May 12th from – Ed McMahon the Courthouse to Rt. 66 and beyond. 7:00 – 9:00pm. residents, business April 2018
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