S1E4 Mark Washington

Mark Washington is the City Manager for the City of Grand Rapids. Mark is also a former ArtPrize artist and in his previous role as Assistant City Manager in Austin Texas he was heavily involved in the organization of South By Southwest. 

Mark explains the role of the City of GR as well as the need to support artists. This is a fascinating conversation with one of the biggest ArtPrize champions you are likely to hear from. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to the official Art Prize Podcast, a limited series going behind the scenes of Grand Rapids premier art competition. I'm your host, Steve Kelso. I'm a former Art Prize reporter for Wood TV 8, a former Art Prize artist, and the owner of Kelso Communications, a proud Art Prize sponsor. In this series, I'm talking with the artists, the organizers, and the decision makers shaping Art Prize 16. Hello, and thank you again for joining us for another episode of the official Art Prize Podcast. Today I'm thrilled to welcome City Manager Mark Washington. Mark, thanks for coming in today and agreeing to do this. Thanks for having me. Explain to me the city's role in Art Prize. I think a lot of people out there think that uh there's still a fam a lot of family money behind that. This, and there's that's just not the case anymore, is it?

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Well, no. So so first of all, I do want to acknowledge that we wouldn't be here today if not for the inauguration of Art Prize 2009 and uh the tremendous leadership of the DeVosses and particularly Rick DeVos and really contemplating how we can think about art differently. And if we want to pay homage to that, we got to go back to the Festival of the Arts.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Right.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

And, you know, the uh 1959, I think it was, um uh when we were able to uh go ahead and have Alexander Calder help us to really cement the Calder as a real renowned public art figure and uh then begin to really celebrate the arts in in this community. And so one thing has led to another, and from the evolution of the Calder to the founding art prize, we saw it as something that uh must be continued as a part of our art identity in our city. And uh partner with DGRI and Ferris and a lot of other public and private partners to really continue to build the momentum of how we create an art economy, a place that's good for artists, it's good for residents, it's good for visitors, it's good for Grand Rapids. And as much as we are known as uh Calder City or River City, it's good to also uh have an identity as Art City in addition to Beer City.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

In addition to Beer City, and in fact Medical City, you got so many tags. So many things going on right now. I I had lunch with someone a couple of weeks ago and he moved to town about the same time I did. And I said, you know, I think these last 25 years have been the best 25 years to be in Grand Rapids. He disagreed with me. He said he thinks it's the next 25. So I I thought that was an interesting perspective.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Well, I I think uh both are correct. Uh I think I do think the best is yet to come because we have a lot of things in the pipeline that's really gonna add a lot of vitality and vibrancy to our city. And art is part of it. And as you think about some of the things we're doing now, even along the river corridor, the placemaking that's gonna happen, it's going to be very art-centric, art adjacent. Or even in the design of our newest public asset, the amphitheater. I mean, it is a great concert venue, but it is a beautiful artistic uh addition to our skyline of the city.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Is that possible without art prize? Does the and does anything, it all goes back to the Calder?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

I I I think everything builds on each other. I mean, look even in my drop backdrop here, as we look down uh Monroe Avenue and we see the design of the convention center behind us and its very intentional, artistic, memorable design. I think all of this is uh an influence of uh of us really wanting to be uh, you know, our new executive director for Art Prize Tyler has really been trying to uh tag us now with Art City, but Art City USA. Uh and so I think that's something that we embrace, and there's a lot of local artists. Uh if if not one thing builds on the other, and and now we have preceding art prize tech week. And uh I mean that's that's kind of a south by southwest vibrancy in Austin where you have a lot of different things coming together at a major festival, but we also have Confluence as part of Art Prize, we have the African-American uh African American Music Festival, uh, we now have fashion as part of Art Prize and the closing at the new amphitheater. And I mean, it's really all coming together beautifully. And to see over a million people uh over the course of Art Prize in our city, it is electric and uh something that uh we had to continue.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

You mentioned South by Southwest. What our viewers may not know about the city manager Mark Washington is that you were assistant city manager in Austin before coming here. And so as such, you had a lot of uh, you know a lot of the inner workings of South by Southwest. How did that inform your decision when someone said, Hey, why don't you come consider Grand Rapids? And it's a part of why you stayed?

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yeah, yeah, well, well, in Austin, uh the city was very uh instrumental in ensuring the growth and success of South by Southwest and the hub of South by Southwest was uh at the city's uh convention center. And the convention center was one of the departments that I was responsible for at the city. And so, yes, all of the planning and permitting uh to support the festival, uh our departments and and other depart departments around the city played a very important work. And for me to see firsthand how um South by Southwest literally transformed the city of Austin. It was almost like another city coming to live within our city over the festival, uh the course of the festival. Uh it did inform me of some things in terms of how we viewed Art Prize because uh when I arrived here in 2008, the Tech Week component was not uh part of it. It was more of the traditional public visible art, and but now we're trying to incorporate the performing arts. And you know, I really hate that we don't have the festival of the arts anymore, and and uh but I'm glad to see the the symphony and the ballet and uh you know others taking part of art prize and really trying to uh every year do what was unthinkable before. And so uh I think uh I I like the comment before we've had a lot of good years since 2009, but I think some of our best years are still yet to come.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

I think so too. I mean the city just is on a growth tear. I don't think that there are a lot of cities this size in the United States that can enjoy the same reputation as the city of Grand Rapids.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

Well, I that's one of the things that really I think drew me and others. You know, you have so much uh density in terms of not only people in the small area, but experiences to see a Broadway show, to go to a concert, both now indoor and outdoor concert, uh, and to have you know world-class entertainment, to have uh affordable quality of life and and and affordable living and and and really just um a good great place to be. And and someone coming from Texas, what I'm really appreciating is uh the four seasons. Uh believe it or not, because in Texas, uh you know, there's a joke here about there's two seasons in in Michigan, both uh uh winter and construction. Well, in Texas, there's two seasons, hot and cold. And uh it stays hot longer than the US Coast. So I I'm actually really enjoying the ability to experience the entire summer, uh, all day being outside. Uh but also in in uh the winter and the spring, enjoying uh the change of seasons and all this uh community has to offer.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

So much to offer. Let's talk for a minute about the there is a perception out there. I hear from people, brand rapidians, who tell me that Art Prize has jumped the shark. It is just not what it used to be. And yet, when I read through the studies that uh GVSU puts together every year after Art Prize, we're on steady growth. We brought a million people into this town last year, but that was not anomalous. That is a continuing trend. The amount of money that's left behind by people uh is is a huge thing. How how do we get around that attitude? What's it gonna take for us?

SPEAKER_00 8:31

That that is uh, you know, all the performance indicators and the metrics indicate that uh you know we're on the right trajectory. We have more artists uh this year than we will have had in in many years participating in the art prize. Uh we'll have a record number of venues uh this year as well. Uh the economic impact is the greatest it's been over $80 million last year. And so what I think has happened, uh we talked about South by Southwest. Uh what distinguishes art prize from South by Southwest is many of the amenities and experiences are at no cost. And for South by Southwest to get a platinum badge to experience everything that's offered there, the education, the tech, uh the music, the comedy, uh you probably play pay over $2,500.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_00 9:21

Minimally as part of the registration for all access badge. Uh and here you can come and you you you can catch free transportation and absolute experience most of it for for nothing. And sometimes I think when people experience something at no cost, they forget what the real cost is. Nothing is really free. Uh and so I think there's a little bit of that complacency uh at times from from those, but it's a tremendous amount of cost, and the people who sponsor it year after year, uh certainly I cannot go through all the names, but I'm so grateful for their partnership, both public and private. And I think we um have to do better to have people appreciate it because what happens then is the appreciation comes at uh when people lament that it's no longer here. Like Festival of the Arts. I can't tell you how many people who um are so now mourning the loss of Festival of the Arts, and I am too, but uh I I I asked myself, where were those people when the call for help and support was out at that time? And I hope that it doesn't become the same with Art Prize. Uh it becomes uh appreciated after the funeral and not while uh it's here where people can experience what's happening.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

I was uh talking with Birga Klose the other day. We had her in for an episode of the podcast, and she she says that we're looking at at an at a time maybe where we have to consider some crowdfunding.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Yeah. Yeah, you know, it it is, it is interesting because um you you try to make experiences affordable where people can enjoy it at no matter what their uh affordability levels are. And um, you know, unlike the amphitheater, I'll keep going to back. There are some things that we want to as local government provide for all people. I mean, it shouldn't cost to look at the a beautiful river. And we're gonna provide very nice trails, very nice points of access along the river. Uh, but there still is a cost to maintain those amenities and assets. And for our prize, uh the art is beautiful to look at, but artists don't work for free. What was the phrase you said? What's the best?

SPEAKER_01 11:41

What's an artist's favorite thing to draw?

SPEAKER_00 11:44

A salary. A salary. A salary. And that's the thing about our prize. I th I think we we really try to respect the work of the artists. And uh there are some who are doing this uh full time. And there are others, obviously, that this is this is aspirational at top, it's it's uh it's a secondary vocation. But regardless of where they are, we want to make sure that we respect the work of the artists. And uh and and I think you asked about um uh the some of the differences in Austin and in um Grand Rapids. I I think that's something we were really uh more intentional about uh in Austin is creating a community where there's a minimum quality of life for artists. I know we're focused on housing for everyone, uh, but there was a special effort to ensure that artists also was included in uh some of those housing efforts or uh living wage, and and and there are so many people who are musicians who uh go to venues who only play for tips and it'll be great exposure for your band.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

Yeah but but but it but it's that's no way to to really uh create sustainable uh art and and music in the industry. You have to have some minimum standards. And again, going back to your point, uh uh Birgit's point, uh we're gonna have to figure out how to create additional revenue. Not that the city um, you know, we're not using any of the money from art prize to fund our operation. Obviously, there's an economic benefit from sales of hotels and jobs and people being employed, but we really want to make sure that we provide a minimum source of uh funding and quality of life for the artists themselves. So that everyone doesn't have to win the prize in order to um you know feel good about participating in this uh effort in our city.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, because of a thousand artists, very few statistically are going to win that prize. That's right. And and so many are drawn here by heart, by mission, by some sort of calling. Uh and a calling doesn't necessarily pay the rent.

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Aaron Powell Right. Well, and and what I'm I'm appreciative of now, a lot of people do get to display and sell the work, and you have some beautiful pieces here in your office that you personally uh have uh purchased through an art price, so thank you for your patronage. And I hope I don't know if there's a way that they you'll be able to show the the pieces you have uh to the uh viewing audience. But we need that as well, for people to support the artists both during the festival and uh go to their studios afterwards and call them up and arrange for them to uh um for had to have bookings at some of your events.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

Aaron Powell And that's one of the things that Art Prize does is it creates a patron. I'd like to think that now here we are at Art Prize 16. I'd like to think that we as a public have become a more sophisticated patron.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

I think so. And you know, one one of the things we try to do um at the city and city hall is uh collect a couple of pieces like you, every art prize, and display them throughout some of our public buildings and become a patron of the arts. Uh I even one year participated in the art prize. You did? Oh yes. Um the only place the only place it's hanging is in my living room. Okay. Maybe one day it'll be worth something. But uh but yeah, I th I think you're right. We we're all becoming better patrons of the arts. We're all our learning. Uh we have a study right now citywide to uh think about how we can be more intentional around the arts and and supporting the arts because it is uh it is it's several things. One, it helps us with creativity and innovation, and the fact that we have, you know, uh Fair State Kendall College of Art and Design right here in uh downtown Grand Rapids uh is very special. Uh two, I think the arts helps us with uh placemaking and thinking about how to reimagine spaces differently and having courageous conversations, interacting with people, and bringing uh people together and having some uh conversations that may be uh hard to have in traditional settings, but looking at a piece or looking at or thinking about an issue in the artist's interpretation may cause us to think about issues and view others differently. And so I think we're all learning to become better patrons here.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Aaron Powell You just mentioned the word courageous, and you told me that you participated in our prize as an artist. I've always admired the bravado of an artist to display their work. Tell me tell me about that part of the experience and how did it change your relationship with our prize to have participated?

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Aaron Powell Well, I I got it. It was uh one of the programs that uh you have the executives on Paint uh program. Cynthia Hagadorn uh really recruited me to participate in that, and so I wanted to thank her. But yeah, it it it you know I I had done some classes with wine and art and you know, and more very very casual, but to to have my own experiences reflected on Canvas, uh as not just an executive on Canvas, but a person on Canvas, and really think about what was personal and and and and what was important to me was very helpful. And this was um uh pre-pandemic, I think. Uh probably twenty oh gosh, it was a few years ago. Um but it was very, very important and it's something that will always stay with me. And I was thinking about it the other day, and um maybe having my own collection of other uh exec of the I know other city managers that are also artists that draw or paint, and I had been talking to them about let's all put something together at City Hall and have a display of some of your art and tell a little bit about your story, like what made you uh you know, inspired your call to public service and how do you see the community and how do you see art and is there a connection between your personal art and personal community?

SPEAKER_01 18:01

Fascinating stuff. There's there's so many rabbit holes that we could go down here, and our our time unfortunately is fairly limited. Mark Washington, he is the city manager for the city of Grand Rapids. Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

Thank you for your support of Art Prize, thank you for your love of our city, thank you for what you have done over the years, and I really look forward to what's gonna happen this year.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

I'm really looking forward to what's gonna happen this year. Thanks for joining us for this episode of the official Art Prize podcast. Make sure to download the Art Prize app and cast your votes. Visit artprize.org for more information.