Artomatic419!

The Arts Commission members, Kelly McGilvery, Maureen Brogan, Marc Folk, Michelle Carlson and Ryan Bunch want to share Toledo’s talent.

In less than a decade, Artomatic419! has grown from an idea to one of our region’s largest art shows. The first event, held in 2006 in 10,000 square feet of space at 1717 Adams St. (now Handmade Toledo), was a way to give regional artists a place to showcase their work. For three Saturdays in April, as well as the Toledo Mudhens’ opening day (April 16) and 419 Day (April 19), the free, public display will feature more than 200 visual artists in 50,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. This year’s event is at 600 Jefferson Ave., a.k.a. One Lake Erie Center, in the building that once housed Lamson’s department store.

The space will feature three stages for literary and live music performances, along with food trucks, and a bar for patrons. On 419 Day, a brunch on the first floor of the venue (details TBA) will help to raise money for next year’s event.

The event originated from a concept that started in Washington, D.C. in 1999. Bowling Green native George Koch brought together artists who exhibited their work in the historic Manhattan Laundry buildings, and coined the name “Art-O-Matic” to reflect spontaneity, as well as location.

Developing interest

Artomatic drew a crowd of over 12,000 people in 2013

Shortly thereafter, similar events to those in D.C. began to take place in Toledo. “There was a guy who used to live in town named Mark Lammie, and he organized these ‘happenings.’ They were called the “Guerilla Gallery,” said Marc Folk, the Arts Commission’s Executive Director and co-organizer of the original Artomatic419! event.

“Then it went away, and people said, ‘Wow, stuff like that should happen more often.’ The next one was a one-night event [in 2003] at the Secor Building. So there was [already] this kind of proven taste. At the same time, [The Arts Commission] was doing strategic planning. We decided it was best to go directly to the artist community and ask them what they wanted,” he explained.

Artists’ answers was clear: They wanted access to under-utilized space, and more networking with other artists. “It’s really important for us that [Artomatic419!] is artist-driven, volunteer-driven . . . people there to build the community,” Folk said.

As Artomatic419! has grown in scope and number, the focus has changed from showcasing regional artists to include visitor engagement, according to Michelle Carlson, Arts Commission program director.

Maureen Brogan is this year’s event coordinator, a new position made possible by funding from an Ohio Arts Council grant. “To see a group of people build a three-story art show that runs for a month . . . it’s mind-blowing.

“The fact that it is a non-juried community art exhibition is really the exciting part about it. So that people who don’t necessarily want to show in a gallery can have a space to say, ‘Look, this is what I can do,’” she said.

Since the very beginning, the process by which artists showcase their work has been the same, according to Ryan Bunch, Performing & Literary Arts Coordinator for The Arts Commission. He was present during the organization of the inaugural event in ‘06. “That first year, we had 5,000 people visit over four Saturdays, and in 2013 we had 12,000 people over 3 Saturdays,” he said. Bunch also mentioned it’s harder and harder to find venues for the show of this size, as building occupancy increases in the downtown area.

“It’s a good thing, we want our city to grow,” he said of the challenge. “And this year’s space is available for businesses, too, it’s part of the reason we do this . . . aside from [the Arts Commission’s] greater goal of advocacy, we want to get people looking at these building spaces.”

What to expect

Not just behind the scenes: Jerry Gray shares his process and art.

People that haven’t visited previous Artomatic419! events should be prepared for tons of poetry, music, and acts that will “showcase exactly what their community is made of,” according to Brogan.

“We wanted to create a different kind of space where there could be the opportunity for maybe more challenging work, or work that didn’t conform with the traditional eight feet of wall or 10-square feet on the floor. So if people had different concepts, they could bring those to the table,” Folk explained. “We really started to focus on user experience. We’re going to make part of that first floor space a lounge so that people can gather and linger and have a chance to talk and take a break.”

Carlson agreed that this year’s location will bring a change, and added that the Jefferson location gives it a “much more city-like feel . . . visitors may have to park and walk, or even pay to park . . . but it reintroduces the feel of city life to our metro area.”

New additions this year include a film room, a fashion show by UrbanDigitz, and a natural haircare expo. Bird’s Eye View Circus Space will perform a conceptual piece on communication through body movement. Brogan described these additions as an effort to “branch out a little bit, to things that haven’t been included in the past, but are a big draw in the community.

“You can’t pull out every single idea from your brain . . . you have to find out what your community wants, find out who communicates that, and see what happens. That’s what it’s all about. Cross-pollination, communication, and connection,” Brogan said.

The Arts Commission members, Kelly McGilvery, Maureen Brogan, Marc Folk, Michelle Carlson and Ryan Bunch want to share Toledo’s talent.

In less than a decade, Artomatic419! has grown from an idea to one of our region’s largest art shows. The first event, held in 2006 in 10,000 square feet of space at 1717 Adams St. (now Handmade Toledo), was a way to give regional artists a place to showcase their work. For three Saturdays in April, as well as the Toledo Mudhens’ opening day (April 16) and 419 Day (April 19), the free, public display will feature more than 200 visual artists in 50,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. This year’s event is at 600 Jefferson Ave., a.k.a. One Lake Erie Center, in the building that once housed Lamson’s department store.

The space will feature three stages for literary and live music performances, along with food trucks, and a bar for patrons. On 419 Day, a brunch on the first floor of the venue (details TBA) will help to raise money for next year’s event.

The event originated from a concept that started in Washington, D.C. in 1999. Bowling Green native George Koch brought together artists who exhibited their work in the historic Manhattan Laundry buildings, and coined the name “Art-O-Matic” to reflect spontaneity, as well as location.

Developing interest

Artomatic drew a crowd of over 12,000 people in 2013

Shortly thereafter, similar events to those in D.C. began to take place in Toledo. “There was a guy who used to live in town named Mark Lammie, and he organized these ‘happenings.’ They were called the “Guerilla Gallery,” said Marc Folk, the Arts Commission’s Executive Director and co-organizer of the original Artomatic419! event.

“Then it went away, and people said, ‘Wow, stuff like that should happen more often.’ The next one was a one-night event [in 2003] at the Secor Building. So there was [already] this kind of proven taste. At the same time, [The Arts Commission] was doing strategic planning. We decided it was best to go directly to the artist community and ask them what they wanted,” he explained.

Artists’ answers was clear: They wanted access to under-utilized space, and more networking with other artists. “It’s really important for us that [Artomatic419!] is artist-driven, volunteer-driven . . . people there to build the community,” Folk said.

As Artomatic419! has grown in scope and number, the focus has changed from showcasing regional artists to include visitor engagement, according to Michelle Carlson, Arts Commission program director.

Maureen Brogan is this year’s event coordinator, a new position made possible by funding from an Ohio Arts Council grant. “To see a group of people build a three-story art show that runs for a month . . . it’s mind-blowing.

“The fact that it is a non-juried community art exhibition is really the exciting part about it. So that people who don’t necessarily want to show in a gallery can have a space to say, ‘Look, this is what I can do,’” she said.

Since the very beginning, the process by which artists showcase their work has been the same, according to Ryan Bunch, Performing & Literary Arts Coordinator for The Arts Commission. He was present during the organization of the inaugural event in ‘06. “That first year, we had 5,000 people visit over four Saturdays, and in 2013 we had 12,000 people over 3 Saturdays,” he said. Bunch also mentioned it’s harder and harder to find venues for the show of this size, as building occupancy increases in the downtown area.

“It’s a good thing, we want our city to grow,” he said of the challenge. “And this year’s space is available for businesses, too, it’s part of the reason we do this . . . aside from [the Arts Commission’s] greater goal of advocacy, we want to get people looking at these building spaces.”

What to expect

Not just behind the scenes: Jerry Gray shares his process and art.

People that haven’t visited previous Artomatic419! events should be prepared for tons of poetry, music, and acts that will “showcase exactly what their community is made of,” according to Brogan.

“We wanted to create a different kind of space where there could be the opportunity for maybe more challenging work, or work that didn’t conform with the traditional eight feet of wall or 10-square feet on the floor. So if people had different concepts, they could bring those to the table,” Folk explained. “We really started to focus on user experience. We’re going to make part of that first floor space a lounge so that people can gather and linger and have a chance to talk and take a break.”

Carlson agreed that this year’s location will bring a change, and added that the Jefferson location gives it a “much more city-like feel . . . visitors may have to park and walk, or even pay to park . . . but it reintroduces the feel of city life to our metro area.”

New additions this year include a film room, a fashion show by UrbanDigitz, and a natural haircare expo. Bird’s Eye View Circus Space will perform a conceptual piece on communication through body movement. Brogan described these additions as an effort to “branch out a little bit, to things that haven’t been included in the past, but are a big draw in the community.

“You can’t pull out every single idea from your brain . . . you have to find out what your community wants, find out who communicates that, and see what happens. That’s what it’s all about. Cross-pollination, communication, and connection,” Brogan said.