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Arts festival envisioned for Medford Would start in 2001 as part of effort to revitalize downtown By Bill Varble Picture a vibrant art festival, a high-powered magnet pulling top regional artists and thousands of participants to a revitalizing downtown core. Got it? Now picture it happening not in Ashland or Bend or Lake Oswego, but in Medford. Call it Art in Bloom, and pencil it in for the weekend of May 12 and 13. An organizing committee has been quietly lining up support from the arts and business communities in a drive to make the idea a reality in 2001. "It�s still fairly low profile right now," says Russ Levin, the committee�s chairman. "Things are just starting to come together. Several of us started shooting the breeze about it only a year and a half ago." The way backers see it, the citywide event would be a good fit with urban renewal efforts, creating an upscale new event centered in downtown Medford. "There�s really nothing like it right now," Levin says. The centerpiece of the event would be a juried exhibit for artists from around the Northwest. Such a show features only those artworks chosen by judges as the best among all the entries submitted. Organizers also envision an invitational art exhibit, some performing arts events, maybe beautification efforts involving flowers. "That�s the �bloom� part," Levin says. Look for educational activities with Medford schools, Southern Oregon University, Rogue Community College, Master Gardeners, the Arts Council of Southern Oregon and others. The event would be centered in the area around Vogel Park, the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater, Rogue Community College�s Medford center and the Rogue Gallery and Art Center. "It�s such a collaborative effort," says Craterian head Stephen McCandless. "We have a booking that weekend with the Rogue Harmonizers. Maybe there�s some way for them to patch into this." It all ties into the city�s interest in public art, Levin says. "One of the things the city is interested in is art in public places. Maybe we�ll have a forum about that, what its role is, the civic place of art." Bear Creek Corp. has put up $5,000, and Levin says he expects other corporate donations. Such events are popular in many towns. Salem has had an art fair for many years. Committee members also looked at art events in Lake Oswego and in Ventura, Calif. The events are often associated with older communities� ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown cores that have declined with the spread of suburbs and malls. "It kind of re-creates that feeling of the city as a gathering place," Levin says. "There will be some new twists with our own cultural flavor, maybe lots of pears and salmon." He says a public information campaign will kick off after the first of the year. Expect it to cultivate an upscale image. "We want it to be a bit uptown," McCandless says. "Fairly serious," Levin says. "It�s not a crafts fair. It�s not just to come out and have a hot dog. It�s for serious artists to exhibit their work." There�s another concern in early May. "We�re praying," Levin says, "for good weather." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.