"It makes perfect sense that Artscape would expand into our district," said Vincent Lancisi, artistic director of the Everyman Theatre. "I think the street will be filled with art-seekers, and it will invigorate our area for a weekend."
On the Saturday of Artscape, the Everyman stage will be used for a jazz competition. And while the theater does not have a regularly scheduled performance for the Artscape weekend, it will consider staging a show during the festival next year, Lancisi said.
To facilitate Station North's growth, the city is creating a vision and development plan for the area, bounded by Greenmount Avenue on the east, 20th Street on the north, Falls Road on the west and the Jones Falls Expressway on the south. Baltimore Development Corp. has hired planners and architects to guide development.
Initial ideas include a 60-story tower with "live-work" condos, blocks of small shops and artists studios, and shops and outdoor cafes along the distressed North Avenue corridor. But for now, business owners say they are thrilled to play host to Artscape this year.
"We're all very happy that Station North is being recognized as the arts and entertainment district that it is, and this is the first really good acknowledgment of that fact," said Suzannah Gerber, curator and events and exhibitions coordinator for Load of Fun Studios at North Avenue and Howard Street.
While Artscape will stop a couple of blocks short of her studio, she hopes that in future years the festival will expand to include most of Station North. Such an expansion could help dispel people's fears about North Avenue.
"I think there's still very much a stigma about North Avenue, which is largely fictitious at this point," Gerber said. "I don't know whether Artscape will have a positive effect on that or not."
Load of Fun will offer live performances and workshops concurrent with Artscape. And on the Friday and Saturday nights of the festival, Load of Fun will host performances by Annie Sprinkle, a feminist performance artist as part of its Baltimore Erotic Arts Festival.
The official Artscape schedule of events will be announced Wednesday.
stephen.kiehl@baltsun.com
