ARTSPACE@16 LETTER OF SUPPORT - FOR (WAM) WINDOWS ARTS MALDEN 2007

October 8, 2006

TO: Susan D'Entremont, Paula Higgins
The Co-Chairmans
Malden Cultural Council
Malden Government Center
200 Pleasant St., Room 221
Malden, MA 02148

RE: LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR (WAM) WINDOWS ARTS MALDEN 2007

It is my pleasure to write a letter of support for the Window Arts Malden 2007 project. I am very enthusiastic to support this application for the Malden Cultural Council grant. A grant from the MCC will enable organizers to achieve this city-wide arts project for the economical and cultural benefit of Malden. WAM 2006 was a city-wide arts project in 2006 succeeded in bringing together local businesses, volunteers and artists working in collaboration to transform downtown Malden’s business windows into a virtual outdoor gallery.

I had a tremendously wonderful experience volunteering as a community outreach supporter, juror, and participating artist for (WAM) WINDOW ARTS MALDEN 2006. The WAM project is a mutually beneficial community arts project. It not only generated new traffic and revenue to local businesses, but also provided much needed exposure for the artists and an easily accessible opportunity to see quality art to our residents.

Creating a site specific installation entitled “FOOD IS ART, ART IS FOOD” at my hosting site [Bravo Pizza & More] storefront window was a pleasurable experience for me. The following is a quote from an interview with the business owner Erol Unsal: “You need some art in your life. All over the world, doesn’t matter where you are, art is a very important part of our life.” Unsal expressed enthusiastically, “I love your display! All these people passing by they stopped and really spent time looking at your display, they love it, and then they came in and ate!” This simple comment has proven that WAM 2006 helped to stimulate foot traffic and generate revenue to downtown businesses, and strengthened our community bonds around public art.

I therefore give to you my strongest support for WAM 2007, and ask you for your unreserved support of this well deserved project.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 781-, or email SandT.artSPACEat16@verizon.net.

Sincerely,

Sand T
Founder / Director of artSPACE@16 Gallery in Malden, Massachusetts.
Community Outreach Supporter, Volunteer, Juror and Participating Artist for Window Arts Malden (WAM) 2006