Franklin Building: Venture would provide downtown showcase, help organization pay bills

The North Country Arts Council needs area artists to help it establish its first home.

Looking to move into an 1,800-square-foot space in the Franklin Building early next year, the council seeks artists who would be willing to rent a 10-by-10-foot work space to help offset the council's cost to rent the entire area.

"We just basically want to be able to pay the bills," said Kari S. Robertson, president of the Arts Council. "If we have 10 artists at $200 a month, we know we could pay the bills."

Council board members have discussed the options only informally with area artists, and eight so far are interested at least in learning more about the space, Mrs. Robertson said.

The offer is open to all area painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers and other artists.

The idea is perfect, Mrs. Robertson said, because the council would have a place to call home and create more exposure in Public Square.

"We don't have a place or location now. People are working from their homes," she said. "I've been contacted by a potential donor who thinks this would be a great asset for the community, and who would like to support it."

If the council does not find 10 or more interested artists, it will not go forward with the project.

The Franklin Building space the council is interested in is the former pool area. Neighbors of Watertown Inc. is renovating the three-story building into 16 apartments and seven to 12 commercial spaces, with some streetside storefronts. Renovations should be completed by year's end.

In discussions with Neighbors of Watertown about the property, Mrs. Robertson said, the nonprofit agency knows the group is studying the move and has not made any commitments to the space. No lease has been signed.

"It's a nice, big, open space, and could have a flexible wall system," Mrs. Robertson said. "People could work there, and there'd be a variety of artists producing work. The people could come and watch the artists work. When finished, they could move forward to the gallery there. It's a great win-win for the artists."

The downtown location ideally would be a hub for creativity in the north country, she said.

"People who come to Watertown could come here and find out what art things are going on in the whole Northern New York area," Mrs. Robertson said. "The idea isn't necessarily to promote the council, but the idea is a way to help us serve as an information vector and distributor."

INTERESTED ARTIST?

Artists who would like to rent work space as part of the North Country Arts Council's Franklin Building office should contact Kari S. Robertson at 785-9238 or president@nnyart.org.