Cal State Long Beach is now in discussion with the City of Long Beach to acquire studio and art space in the East Village Arts District.
The plans, if approved, will move the graduate art program to the Broadway Block located in downtown Long Beach. As discussions between CSULB and the Redevelopment Agency (RDA), commenced last week, the art department and administration are working together to get this project into full swing.
If all goes well, these plans will be finalized by 2010.
The Redevelopment Agency works with businesses and the community to improve blighted areas of Long Beach and revitalize neighborhoods. Not only is the RDA working with CSULB to restore the downtown arts village, but it also plans to restore the former site of Acres of Books into an Art Exchange. The RDA hopes to renew this Broadway Block into a fresh new arts district.
Third Street, Broadway, Elm Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard bind the Broadway Block.
“It would create a remarkable opportunity for students as it offers classrooms, exhibition, performance and living spaces,” said David Hadlock, chair of the CSULB art department.
The project would create a vibrant art community downtown where artists could showcase their art and find working and living spaces.
Tristan Arcelona, a senior illustration major said the project “would be amazing if they could achieve that in Long Beach.”
Other art students agreed. “It would give an art community outside of school where we artists can exchange and share ideas. I’d like to see that happen,” said Ratha Hanh, a senior graphic design major.
With an ever-growing number of art students at CSULB, the development project also includes a housing plan, which would provide each graduate student with their own studio space.
“We lose strong prospective graduate students because we can’t offer a space to create art,” Hadlock said.
For an artist an open studio is like a sanctuary.
“A space is fundamental. It is completely prime urgent,” said Darlene Nicart, a sophomore drawing and painting major.
Although these discussions are in its early stages, there has been much thought and planning on the part of Mary Stephens, vice president of CSULB Administration and Finance. As the team lead, she acts as a facilitator in discussions between CSULB and the RDA. The CSU Chancellor’s Office, CSULB President F. King Alexander and Provost Karen Gould, and the art department are also part of the team working to get the project approved.
CSULB has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding and have agreed to do a financial analysis and conceptual plan for the project.
The art department has provided “white papers” which outlines and defines their requirements and needs. There are also some loose conceptual drawings of the envisioned site. The art department is currently working on the drawings and has yet to be released.
“The faculty and administration are very excited for this, we want to be active and bring our presence to downtown,” Stephens said.
In the issues of funding, the RDA is covering all costs for architects and developers in these early stages. If approved, CSULB will have to reimburse the RDA and take on all financial responsibilities, according to Stephens.
An off campus arts community has been talked about for more than a year and a half.
“If we don’t start now we’ll never get it started,” Stephens said.