Sunday, April 19, 2009

Thank You Marketers

Hello Marketers

I’m Larry Simmons, representing Tornado Gallery in this endeavor, Tony Greer, Jennifer Greer and Colorado Bob are the other hosts for The Downtown Art Market. Thank you for supporting this effort to start something in downtown Lubbock that revitalizes the sense of community and neighborhood that has slipped away. We hope to grow this into an event that we can all be proud of and will continue for a long time to come.
The first date will be Saturday May 9th, we will open at 9am so set up will start at 7am. All the areas will be outdoors so make plans accordingly. Shade devices, umbrellas, pop ups and such will be your own responsibility to bring. The booths will be either in the Tornado Gallery Garden or along Buddy Holly avenue, from TG down to Hulla’B Lu on the sidewalk. Everything will be taken down after the Market right now the market will close at 3. There will be no permanent or semi-permanent construction allowed. The areas will be set up so they don‘t interfere with the businesses open during that time, not in front of their doors and such. Electricity will not be accessible in every booth so plan that also. We will be setting spaces according to sign up with the Market, those who joined first will be in the garden area and it will progress out from there. We are sure that the first one will be a learning experience for all of us. The spaces will probably change from month to month also just to add some variety to the event. You folks that are farmers and gardeners bringing trucks and trailers will be set up in driveways and the street to allow folks to buy from your vehicles. If you bring a trailer, we ask that after setting in position, you move your vehicle to another spot, to allow for more parking. Bring your own change and such- bags, boxes whatever you think you’ll need to make this easy on yourselves as well as customers.
We are working with the City on this and have received lots of help from them but they do have some rules. The products sold cannot be purchased , resold items-they should be handmade items from artists or groups of artists. We do not want this to become a flea market. There is nothing wrong with those but this is a different animal and in order to do this that was a requirement. There are exceptions- art supplies, books, musician’s cds and such but no collectibles, housewares or things like . We will be looking at this hard to enable the DAM to keep moving forward. The retail businesses in the District can sell their wares on the sidewalk though, Tornado Gallery will be open selling its wares and we will probably set up a store of some sort in the front of our shop next door. We will try and make this an easy and fun event for all.
We’re finishing up a large project for the Arts Festival right now but before the Market please call me and make plans to come by Tornado Gallery and check out everything, my contact info will follow at the bottom. If everyone could , please e-mail me with your pertinent info and the type of things you will be selling, that will be used for publicity and other things.
Thanks to all for stepping up and Joining The Downtown Art Market, its all of us combined that will make this a success.

Larry Simmons, Tony Greer, Jennifer Greer and Colorado Bob
The Downtown Art Market
Tornado Gallery
806-239-1891
ideaworker@gmail.com
1820 Buddy Holly Avenue