Storefronts more than vacant space

FORT COLLINS – Fort Collins has an incubator program for technology and one for food-related businesses, so why not one for the arts?

That’s a question Dawn Putney, owner of Toolbox Creative, asked herself after seeing an innovative program in New York aimed at getting artists exposure. The Art Lab, launched this summer, provides a platform for local artists, musicians and other creative talents to showcase and present their work. At the same time, it puts good use to otherwise empty storefronts in downtown Fort Collins.

Putney got the idea for the Art Lab after a visit to Brooklyn, where a small storefront in a seemingly depressed area was drawing a lot of attention. The 303Grand initiative rotates artists and musicians on a daily or weekly basis into a retail space for a very small cost.

Putney pitched the idea of creating a similar program in Fort Collins to owners of vacant space at 140 W. Mountain Ave. – and they liked it. Art Lab held its inaugural event on July 3.

“It’s a platform to help launch people,” she said. It has also hosted lectures, classes and events such as meetings of Refresh NoCo.

The Art Lab has also made an attempt to pair visual artists with musicians. The space acts as a venue for practice as well as performance with users ranging from violinists, jazz musicians and garage bands. Artists, musicians, performers and the like are required to open the space to the public on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons for free.

Many of the users have little experience in publicly sharing their talents. Putney hopes that the Art Lab space will give amateurs a feel for how to present their art, take care of a commercial space and collaborate and work with others.

Now in its second location

Since it started, the project has morphed to include more groups, and with the original space slated for a new restaurant, now occupies new space at 239 Linden St., former home of the Repeat Boutique.

“It’s a little tricky, but so far it’s worked,” Putney said of properly securing space.

There has been only one incident where nearby office workers, in on the weekend, complained of a drummer using the space too loudly. Other than that, things have run pretty smoothly.

“As long as you don’t get me arrested, you can use the space,” Putney quipped.

She has worked closely with Realtec broker Patty Spencer on the project.

“I just thought it’s a great idea. It fits into that incubator concept,” Spencer said. “From a real estate perspective, we don’t like empty storefronts.”

Spencer explained that research has shown that consumers are less likely to walk beyond an empty storefront. On Linden, that meant shoppers might be missing out on the second half of the street’s offerings if it weren’t for the Art Lab creating interest in the surrounding businesses.

Spencer, as the listing agent for both of the Art Lab spaces, said there were really no conflicts with the program and actively showing the facility to potential tenants. She pointed out that the landlord can also benefit from not having to carry vacant building insurance, which can be more pricey than insurance for a space that is filled. Additionally, certain grandfather-clause issues can be voided by buildings sitting vacant for an extended period of time.

“On the other side, it’s supporting local artists that might not get exposure any other way,´ said Spencer, who also serves as chair of the Downtown Development Authority. “There is a lot of interest in strengthening the arts and culture community in downtown.”

She cited the DDA’s decision to purchase a facility on Vine Drive where the arts and theater community can do production work and a newly executed lease with Bas Bleu Theatre Co. that opens up the theater on Pine Street to public use.

“The best problem, from my perspective, would be for (Art Lab) to have to keep moving,” Spencer said.

Lots of work to manage

Putney, however, has a different opinion. “I don’t know that the Art Lab will always be a rotating storefront,” she said.

While the mobility serves a great purpose in building interest in vacant properties, it also is a lot of work to manage. For example, Putney maintains the insurance for the latest space. She hopes that someday the Art Lab might have a more permanent space while maintaining displays in some of the empty storefronts in downtown Fort Collins.

While Putney has volunteers helping with scheduling, she still dedicates about one-third of her time to the initiative. But she’s finding more and more support, and is working with a consultant to file the appropriate paperwork for nonprofit status for Art Lab. If all goes well, she hopes to have the designation in place early next year.

“The model is kind of shifting now,” she said. “We’ll see what happens.”

A couple of instructors in art and music are using the space during the week, and a group of young entrepreneurs has asked to use it during normal work hours as a shared workspace in exchange for helping to manage and maintain it.

Putney is also moving toward offering workshops that will help aspiring artists and musicians learn some basic business acumen. In the end, business begets business.

“It’s just going to attract more business,” she said. “It’s all about economic development.”

For example, the OpenStage Theater performance of “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” opened the day after Thanksgiving in the Art Lab. OpenStage worked with several cafes on Linden Street that would normally close early in the day to extend their business hours during weekend performances to accommodate intermission crowds.

“I’m surprised how organically it’s happening,” Putney said. “It started as just a space. It was absolutely experimental, and it’s worked great.”

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