Be the Change Blog

Is art a luxury?

Sculptor Tammy Vitale posted a provocative quote on her blog today, pointing out that "business is business, and, fundamentally, that corporate interest in the arts is self-interest."  The quote goes on to say that artists should determine "just how enlightened that self-interest is in order to evaluate the possibilities for entering the corporate marketplace..."  See the rest of Tammy's thoughts on this subject here.

Tammy raises the question: "Is art a luxury?" -- a question I wrestled with mightily when I was the director of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) in Boston.  For every person who believes that "man [and woman] does not live by bread alone," there are others who believe that food, shelter and security must take precedence.  Even Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs implies that unless one has satisfied basic security needs, it is impossible to appreciate the more intangible qualities of life.  When seeking money for the VLA, I encountered many corporate funders who could not see their way to funding a program for artists when there were homeless people waiting to be served.

I, however, heartily disagree with that position.  Consider Victor Frankel, who in the midst of the most inhumane conditions of a concentration camp found the space within himself to experience the beauty of life and spirituality.  To me, art is an essential of life, and not a luxury.  In the midst of posting this blog, I was drawn into a conversation in the hallway of Hoopla with Robyn Einhorn, my assistant manager and curator, and a regular customer who was appreciating Geoff Ault's photography. 

We got to talking about why we collect the things we do, even when our tiny Capitol Hill homes don't give us room to display them.  Robyn collects teacups that she never drinks from.  Our customer has a collection of little people figurines that she inherited from an uncle who collected model trains.  I was talking about acquiring another of Geoff's photographs, even though I haven't yet found the wall space to hang the one he gave me last Fall as a housewarming gift. 

We all agreed on one thing, we collect art because it feeds our souls.  That should not be a luxury that only the well-to-do can afford.

Celebrate Independents Week!

New York green attorney Stephen Filler turned me on to a wonderful event created by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA).  They are celebrating "Independents Week" by asking people to purchase as much as possible from your community's independently-owned businesses between July 1-7th. 

According to AMIBA, "Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation of shopkeepers, so what better time to honor the home town businesses that make our communities unique, keep entrepreneurism alive, give back to the community in time, talent, goods and services, and so much more."

Did you know that buying locally keeps your money circulating in your community three times longer than buying at chains?  Buying locally also helps the environment and reduces the burden on taxpayers.  Click here to view AMIBA's report on The Benefits of Doing Business Locally.

Residents of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC are strong supporters of their local businesses.  We at Hoopla Traders are grateful to the crowds who come out to Barracks Row on Second Saturday to meet their neighbors and view art at Hoopla, Alvear, Homebody and all of the Barracks Row restaurants.  We are fortunate to have Barracks Row Main Street, an award-winning historic main street project, to help us keep the community safe and inviting.  We hope that the Independents Week challenge will encourage even more peope to enjoy the benefits of shopping in their own communities. 

Creating a dream

People often wonder why I decided to open a shop.  After all, I have a full-time job as a law professor, a wonderful relationship and home by the Bay, and two dogs who demand lots and lots of attention.  I guess the answer is I have always been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug.  As a kid, my whole family bought and traded antiques, jewelry and Native America artifacts.  It was not about the money, it was all about the thrill of the hunt to find something unique and beautiful.  To me, it is all about creativity -entrepreneurs start with just the gleam of an idea and turn it into a reality.  My dream for Hoopla Traders was to bring art and culture from around the globe to my little corner of the world.  That dream has evolved over time, but the excitement of creating my dream has not worn off.