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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JONATHAN ZAROV 280-8673

September 15, 2003

Progressive Dane Arts Event Deemed "Successful Disaster"

After weeks of oppressive drought, the newly-formed Progressive Dane Arts Policy Task Force succeeded in bringing much-needed rain to Madison by staging their kickoff arts event, "The Politics of Art, The Art of Politics," outdoors.

The event, advertised as "rain or shine," took place last Saturday, Sept. 13, on Library Mall and in the Humanities Building Courtyard.

"It was a microcosm of the difficulties that artists face in presenting their work," said Jonathan Zarov, task force chair. "First the relentless downpour threatened musical equipment and nearly zeroed out attendance. Then the loud experimental noise band drew complaints from some unknown source even though the UW Marching Band had been through just an hour before. The responding police officer, while polite and considerate, was unyielding in demanding non-existent physical proof of our permission to use the facility, which had been granted months in advance, but not in written form, and demanded that all music cease immediately. And one of the experimental noise performers cut his fingers on a sheet of metal he was playing, proving that art really is dangerous.

"On the bright side, though, there was some really great art displayed and produced that day, we learned how to stage an event of this magnitude and what to avoid, we recruited a few new task force members, and I may have found a drummer for my new band. And other collaborative connections were made, showing the value of simply bringing a bunch of artists together to do their work.

"If we're successful, maybe a couple of years down the road we'll have an Arts Council or other organization that could fund an event such as this, compensate the artists, provide assistance with organizational infrastructure, help with understanding and streamlining the permitting process, and provide a comprehensive directory of local artists with digital samples of their work. And that organization could also carry a group health insurance plan that all of those artists could buy into. Success would also mean large, adventurous, and appreciative audiences who check out what their local artists are doing and refrain from calling the cops until all other avenues of communication have been exhausted.

"And we'll learn how to reschedule the rain until after the event is over."

Next on the task force's agenda is hosting a workshop on applying for grants. The group also plans to continue backing Alder Austin King's ordinance to repeal the cabaret license.

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