For more than a decade the Eureka Springs Parks Department has partnered with the city’s Arts Council on the Artists in the Park program at Basin Spring Park.
Changes are needed with the program, parks director Sam Dudley said at the regular monthly meeting of the parks commission on July 23.
“It sounds really nice and fuzzy. We love art,” Dudley said of the program. “But, I think the reality is that it’s hard to handle. It’s hard to manage.”
Artists in the Park is a program that allows artists to sell their artwork at Basin Spring Park. They go to the city, get a business permit and then submit a portfolio to the Arts Council for approval.
Once approved by the council, the artists pay a fee of $20 per month to the parks department to sell at the park, Dudley said.
“You look at the farmers market, they have a full-time manager who works for them and is there,” Dudley said. “They’re making sure everyone’s bringing the product that they say they’re going to bring, making sure people are there on time. There’s really strict rules on when you can be there. … They do things that keeps it functioning and it’s for the good of everyone.
“We can’t really do that with Artists in the Park. We just don’t have the facility or the eyes on the park to be able to monitor those sorts of things.”
Dudley said he recently met with Arts Council to discuss whether changes were needed with the program or if it even needed to continue.
“That’s what we met about,” Dudley said. “I was like, I just don’t know if we want to continue this program as is because we just can’t control what’s happening at all.
“… We would be putting a lot more work than we’re getting out of the program, to be honest.”
Commission chair Mark Ingram asked Dudley about the Art Council’s view of the program.
“I think everyone kind of agreed with us,” Dudley said. “It’s sort of like, if it’s not working out, it’s not working out. We don’t have to do this. It’s up to y’all really, essentially, as a commission.”
Ruth Hager, who has been a parks commissioner for many years, said the program started when people wanted to sell items in the park.
“Artists wanted to sell things in the park,” Hager said. “So did crafts people, so did balloon people. True artists who wanted to have a permit and wanted to have a fair process were the ones who went through the Arts Council and said look, you’re letting people taking my space, I had my blanket here first.
“So, parks stepped in to regulate that, to keep it fair for everyone. That’s why the Arts Council got involved, because they represent artists and want it to be fair. … It does add to the community feeling of artists in Eureka. … I don’t think it’s ever worked well.”
In the end, commissioner Ruth Mitchell agreed to go back to the Arts Council regarding putting together a proposal with new guidelines if the program is going to continue.
OTHER ITEMS
In his monthly report, Dudley reported that Jamboreeka, held July 4 at Lake Leatherwood Park, was a success despite rainy and stormy weather.
“Obviously, you can’t predict the weather, but I think we handled it as well as we possibly could. Given the circumstances, we got the fireworks lit up and got all that done. It seemed like a good show.”
Dudley thanked the Grassy Knoll Fire Department for help with volunteers for the event.
Good Shepherd Humane Society had an event at the ball fields over the weekend, Dudley said, adding “it’s just cool to see that it’s getting some usage during the summer when it’s so slow.”
Dudley reported that the HVAC unit at Cabin 4 at Lake Leatherwood is leaking freon and since cabins 2-6 all had units installed at the same time about nine years ago, he’s been getting quotes on potential replacement units.
The commission also approved doing a 90-trial for a Berryville cleaning service for the upkeep of the cabins at Lake Leatherwood and a $2 raise, from $18 an hour to $20 an hour, for the department’s grounds specialist, who has been with the city for nearly a year.
