B-11 (Annette DiMeo Carlozzi Letter of Support) — original pdf

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Annette DiMeo Carlozzi 1506 Romeria Drive Austin, TX 78757 24 February 2020 Dear City Council and Planning Commission members: I was delighted to learn recently from my friend and colleague Sara Vanderbeek that there is a potential opportunity for another much-needed partnership between the arts and business communities in Austin. Apparently 218 South Lamar Boulevard, a proposed development on the site of the Schlotsky’s behind Zach Theatre, could include 1000 sq ft of gallery space on its ground floor, to be programmed by the dynamic artist-run space known as DORF. What a great idea! As a lifelong curator of contemporary art—including 7 years as head curator of Laguna Gloria Art Museum (1979-86); 18 years as contemporary and then head curator at the Blanton Museum of Art (1996-2014); and the intervening years as a director and producer in Aspen, New Orleans and Atlanta, I can testify both to the success of a rich and varied creative community in attracting/developing engaged citizens, and to the importance of community partnerships in building stability in local arts communities. And stability in an arts community confers economic health and lends vibrancy and dynamism to city life. So I write in enthusiastic support of the steps the City of Austin and these private developers are taking to carve out space and resources for the local arts economy at a time when rising rents are threatening the arts community’s very existence. Everyone wins in such inspired efforts. If all goes well, this project could serve as a model for other Austin developments to come—we certainly need as many of these alliances as possible. Please give your best efforts to providing support for this proposal. DORF is an excellent arts space—thoughtfully curated, warmly welcoming and inclusive—and I’d love to see it nested within a burgeoning arts district on the shores of Ladybird Lake. Wow, that sounds lovely…and smart! Sincerely, Annette DiMeo Carlozzi Independent curator 512.689.3860