Arts and Crafts Fair

Consensus Meetings:

Report &Recommendation

Presented by the Arts &Cultural District Steering Committee and Town Staff

To the Taos Town Council and Community on

Tuesday April 13, 2010
Summary

At the request of the Mayor and Town Council, the Arts and Cultural District (ACD) Steering Committee Chairman (also the Town’s Community Economic Development Director) and ACD Coordinator undertook an effort to reach community consensus surrounding the sensitive issue of the scheduling of major events on public property during holiday weekends. Due to the timing of this process, with the summer close at hand, the Mayor and Council asked for the process to complete within 45 days or by April 9, 2010 so that any additional events could still potentially be held this summer. The Mayor and Council agreed to permit the Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Fair but directed staff to withhold issuing any additional event permits on holiday weekends until the process was concluded.

We used a best practice in public participation and mediation where initial meetings are held with each group to flesh out concerns, followed by a general public meeting to include community input into the matter, with a final meeting or meetings to attempt to reach consensus with small representative groups. Details of those meetings are contained on the following pages, but in general no consensus could be reached.

The level of mistrust between both parties served to negate any efforts to achieve a resolution. On the positive side, there were some very creative ideas offered by the Arts and Crafts Fair representatives that could still be beneficial to all involved if events were allowed to continue on holiday weekends. There was unprecedented cooperation within each group. This was the first time that the Arts and Crafts interests had worked collaboratively amongst themselves. It was also the first time that many of the concerned merchants worked in a unified way. While future partnerships between different events may be possible and collaboration among merchants may increase, the spirit of collaboration did not carry on between the two groups.

Recommendation

Due to the ending of the process by the parties without reaching a consensus, we are faced with providing the Council with a recommendation for action that best serves the community as a whole.

There is a general concern that if we take a sweeping action without understanding the full potential ramifications, we could do irreparable harm to the local economy during the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Local merchants who sell locally or regionally produced items are important to our local economy and in turn Arts and Crafts Fairs allow for local artistic entrepreneurs to enter into the art market with low barriers to market entry. Merchants occupy buildings and provide continual maintenance and activity while Arts and Crafts Fairs, although temporary in duration, create foot traffic in the downtown. A mix of both merchants and traffic-generating events are critical to revitalization and eventual prosperity. The community needs both successful merchants and successful downtown events to ensure that a higher quality of life can be achieved. The loss of a business or an event reduces variety of offerings available and therefore diminishes the appeal of the community to the visitor.

We are neutral about the timing of events or the type of events – but believe strongly that events are important to revitalization of the historic district. Events are a central part of many communities’ efforts to breathe life into their central business districts. We also believe that Arts and Crafts Fairs play an important role in the local economy – they act as a business incubator without costly government subsidy and management, they bring in attendees and vendors from outside and inside the community who contribute to lodging, restaurant, and other sales in addition to the sales generated on site. There is also the social aspect to events, including Arts and Crafts Fairs, where people have the opportunity to gather in a public space, meet performers and artists, and meet people from other communities who have art as a main interest.

Considering the above facts and all of the input from the public and the representatives of both concerns we recommend the Council consider the following:

  • Pass an ordinance that will enable the Town Council to annually set the calendar for major events on holiday weekends on Town owned properties. The calendar would be set in January for the calendar year by resolution. This provides the Council with flexibility to adjust to economic conditions and any additional data that is provided.
  • For the calendar year 2010 we recommend that Kit Carson Park be reserved for use by the public for family oriented events on Labor Day weekend and that no major or commercial event permits be issued for that weekend. We believe that this should be continued in 2011 and that the Town examines the impact of this action. Should Labor Day weekend be made available in the future, it would be appropriate to provide the current Arts and Crafts Fair promoter, Blue Skies Productions, with the right of first refusal for the permit on that weekend.
  • We recommend that this calendar remain consistent for at least 2 years. This would allow for incremental change if the Council desires to move events off of other major holiday weekends. This would mean permitting events for Memorial Day and 4th of July during this period of consistency.
  • The Yuletide Festival plays an important role in the celebration of the winter holidays and the proceeds from this event pay for decorations throughout the community and particularly the historic district, the faralitos, and the annual tree lighting. It also is a very different kind of event that is geared toward local and visiting families and is mostly composed of local entrepreneurs and merchants. This event includes public performances by various children’s performing art groups. Arts and crafts are only one element of this multi-faceted family event. We recommend that the Yuletide Festival continue its tradition of providing this family event over Thanksgiving weekend.
  • We strongly recommend gathering factual data to support any future decisions. That data should examine the past 5 years of economic activity to provide a baseline to measure the effect in future years.
  • We have a concern that the fees charged for these public spaces do not equal the cost bourn by the public. Steps should be taken to ensure that public benefit exceeds public cost. Some additional consideration should be given to charging lower fees to charity events than for-profit events.
  • It would be a loss for all involved if some of the creative ideas forwarded by the Arts and Crafts Fair representatives and the public were not acted upon. Joint advertising, the provision of a hospitality booth, and other concepts could reduce further deterioration of the local economy. We are very appreciative of the efforts of the general public and the Arts and Crafts Fair representatives.
  • In the event that Arts and Crafts Fairs cannot be held on Town property during holiday weekends, it has been suggested that the Fairs be relocated to another suitable site. Suggestions of new sites have included:
  • Fred Baca Park
  • Filemon Sanchez Park
  • The new County Administration Park
  • Parr field
  • Of the suggested alternate sites, both groups agreed that Parr Field would be the best of the potential sites if Kit Carson Park were unavailable.

The Arts and Cultural District Steering Committee is hopeful and believes that this recommendation will allow the community to move forward in a positive manner and accommodates all concerned. The direction of the Arts and Cultural District is toward a revitalized Taos that re-affirms Taos’ rightful place as a world class Art Colony. Arts and Crafts Fairs and other cultural and artistic events are important aspects of artistic entrepreneurial activity in addition to our established galleries, downtown businesses, and entertainment and cultural facilities.

Arts and Crafts Fair/Festivals

Community Consensus Process

Background

On January 26, 2010 the Community Economic Development Department was to provide the Taos Town Council with a briefing of how the Arts and Cultural District Steering Committee (ACD) could engage the community to come to a consensus surrounding concerns over the timing and location of Arts and Crafts Fairs/Festivals (ACF). At this meeting the Town Council requested that an ordinance be provided to the Town Council as soon as possible that would enable the Council to set a calendar for the use of public spaces for major events with a focus on Kit Carson Park, the Taos Plaza, and the Convention Center on major holiday weekends. This was in response to five unsigned letters and informal e-mails from local merchants and a number of merchants in attendance at that Council meeting. This was also set into motion by the perception that an agreement had been reached in April 2008 at a meeting attended by the interested parties and Town Councilors Abeyta and Quintana and that agreement was not honored. The understanding of the two Councilors was that each ACF promoter would give up one holiday weekend event during the summer of 2009. All ACF were held during 2009, contrary to the understanding of the Councilors.

Subsequent to the request and direction of Town Council at the January 26, 2010 meeting staff prepared a draft ordinance for internal review and advertised the public hearing for the proposed ordinance for the regular Town Council meeting on February 23, 2010. At the regular meeting of the Town Council on February 9, 2010 a large number of people, both for and against the proposed action of the Town Council were in attendance. The Mayor and Council then requested that the ordinance, although an internal draft at this stage, be pulled and revised for later consideration.

Due to the visceral community reaction, the Mayor and Council requested at the February 23, 2010 Council meeting that the ACD meet with the two interest groups in an attempt to come to a consensus surrounding the timing and location of ACF and report back to the Town Council within 45 days; April 9, 2010.

Meeting Process

The ACD determined that the Chair, also the Community Economic Development Director for the Town, and the Coordinator would employ a best practice in public participation/mediation where the two parties would meet separately as general groups, then together as a full body and anyone from the public who wished to attend, with a third and possibly additional meetings with representatives to come to a consensus.

Separate Group Meetings

Concerned Merchants; group meeting Monday March 22, 2010, 8:30 AM

Only two of the concerned merchants met at this meeting, although it was scheduled at a time of their choosing. The following were offered at this meeting:

  • Concerned merchants met with Councilman Sanchez and Councilman Silva on January 20, 2010 to discuss the issue of “Arts and Crafts Fairs being held on long holiday weekends” and this was the event that gave rise to the production of the document given to Council at the regular Town Council meeting of January 26, 2010
  • Quality of the ACF was a concern as was the location of the vendors; perception that too many of the vendors were not from the local region
  • Concern that the traffic to the ACF did not result in traffic to the stores
  • Memorial Day was considered acceptable
  • Labor Day would only be acceptable if it was of high quality, drawing the same demographic as the Wool Festival
  • Yuletide Festival was okay since it is more of a family oriented event and has a large number of local vendors and provides funding for the community for the holidays and has great synergy with the Thanksgiving hockey tournament
  • There should be some sort of oversight of the jury process by a neutral party
  • Would like to see one “really GREAT” festival on an off-weekend that would be a draw for the community and the region in June
  • Perception that there is little advertising done and that the ACF rely on others to drive traffic to Taos on holidays in particular
  • Location and timing of the ACF central issue

Arts and Crafts Fair/Festival Promoters/Participants Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 5 PM

Approximately fifteen concerned promoters and participants of ACF attended this meeting and offered the following:

  • ACF have a long history in Taos:
  • CAV – Kit Carson Park on 4th of July – 12 years, the Plaza on the third week of August – 17 years (50 – 60 booths in park, 48 maximum at the Plaza)
  • Blue Skies Productions – Memorial Day in Kit Carson Park – 24 years, Labor Day in Kit Carson Park – 20 years (65 – 75 booths)
  • Chamber of Commerce – Mothers Day in Kit Caron Park – 15 years, last weekend in September – 15+ years (100 booth maximum)
  • Long history of Taos as a commerce center, the historic Mountain Man Rendezvous as an example
  • Feeling of being scapegoat for economic downturn that effects everyone
  • Feeling that Taos is no longer sympathetic to the Arts and that image is being spread throughout the Arts community
  • Other communities work hard to have as many events as possible, especially on holiday weekends, including ACF
  • Telluride CO as an example of heavy support for events
  • No intention to hurt anyone, just a desire to work together
  • Competition is good for business and as galleries close there is a need for more ACF to keep the variety available for consumers – we need all businesses to succeed including ACF
  • ACF promote the opportunity to meet the artist
  • ACF allow for artistic entrepreneurs to thrive and for the public to become educated about art
  • ACF provide a community atmosphere and there is a socialization aspect that is not included at a store
  • Advertising is a small budget for ACF but a lot is done for listing in calendar sections, PSA’s and radio ads in the region, particularly Colorado
  • Many ACF participants look to establishing a permanent store as a part of their evolution
  • Suggested ways to help merchants:
  • Donation of a hospitality booth space for merchants to advertise
  • Observance of the jury process
  • Joint advertising with a certain amount pledged from each event
  • ACF representative at the Taos Project to better coordinate with merchants
  • Central question for ACF: “Are we and Art Colony or not?”
  • Dixon ACF a good example of a community that all pulls together to make the ACF happen
  • “A rising tide lifts all boats”

General Group MeetingMonday March 29, 2010, 6:30 PM

A general meeting, including interested public, was held at 6:30 PM at Bataan Hall on Monday March 29, 2010. The purpose was to confirm what we heard from both interests and to hear from everyone what their concerns were. This was understandably a very tense meeting; the topic of discussion could affect the livelihood of many people. Staff set the ground rules for the meeting and reiterated what they had heard from the groups and asked for others to add to the lists or correct the lists as appropriate.

Much of the meeting was an opportunity for people to express their concerns and was repetitive however the following were offered at this meeting:

  • ACF are offered on the following dates:
  • Chamber – 1st weekend of May (no longer specifically on Mothers Day) and last weekend of September (both non-holiday)
  • CAV – 4th of July and 3rd weekend of August (non-holiday)
  • Blue Skies Production – Labor Day and Memorial Day (both holiday)
  • Town of Taos – Thanksgiving Weekend
  • Suggestion that ACF be moved to non-holiday weekends and that there be 6 to 12 ACF when community is least busy
  • Offer that the merchants and ACF work together for mutual benefit, have a committee work out a solution
  • Place a limit on the number of ACF
  • Not all merchants believe that ACF are detrimental – some believe they are very beneficial
  • Memorial Day a crucial weekend to the survival of some merchants
  • Everyone is suffering – collateral sales do occur during ACF but the ACF customers are most likely not the same as the customers for stores
  • Night life needs to be offered in the community, particularly at the Plaza – what about Friday night events that could be promoted by the ACF?
  • We all need traffic to be successful
  • Could the ACF be held at a different location?
  • Mutual promotion of merchants and ACF
  • Add emphasis on art education at ACF
  • Include an apprenticeship opportunity to young artists
  • At least one holiday weekend should not have an ACF

At the conclusion of the meeting it was determined that a smaller representative group, with 5 from each interest, would attend the next meeting with the hope that a consensus could be reached.