This is ArtWalk’s first year as a fundraiser for the Bothwell Arts Center, which provides support and affordable rehearsal, teaching, performing, and studio space to over 40 artists and local groups. This move not only helps the Center, but keeps the ArtWalk event alive and viable with more support and volunteer help.

The Bothwell Arts Center is located at 2466 8th, Livermore, and is a project of the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center. LVPAC leases the center through a generous arrangement with Livermore Area Recreation & Parks Department, which helps to keep the space affordable.

While the Bothwell Arts Center puts on occasional small concerts, its biggest fundraiser besides ArtWalk is the annual Mardi Gras celebration called “New Orleans Bash at the Bothwell”, scheduled for February 21, 2009.

The Bothwell Arts Center is managed by Linda Ryan, a local artist and the originator of ArtWalk.

The first ArtWalk, held in 2002, was organized by Linda Ryan with help from her friends, Duane Gordon, Marjorie McMahan, Diana Marion, and many volunteers who donated time, funding, and physical labor. Seeing the need for a nonprofit to run the event, David Collins stepped in to help form Tri-Valley Artist’s Guild (TVAG), and the next several years of ArtWalk were run through their efforts, joined by Kathi Bequette, Stephanie Ball, Katie Caulk, Sherri Swanson and, again, help from many friends and volunteers.

With a goal of bringing a variety of fine arts to the public and to prove that visual art can be a viable economic driver for a town, the event was immediately successful and has continued to grow exponentially each year. Along the way, TVAG has created temporary “gallery” displays in downtown windows, held art exhibitions, assisted businesses, local civic organizations and wineries with art shows, referrals and hangings, collaborated on the Exphrasis exhibition at Big White House Winery, and run Teen Art Night and small arts workshops.

However, in 2007, after a highly successful ArtWalk, TVAG concluded that the ArtWalk event required a larger organization to run it and allow it to continue to flourish. When it became clear in early summer of 2008 that no other organization was stepping up to run the event, they went into negotiations with LVPAC to explore the possibilities of it becoming a Bothwell Arts Center fundraiser. The negotiations were successful, and by late June of 2008, the Bothwell and LVPAC were at the helm, and working hard to make ArtWalk 2008 even bigger, and better.

While TVAG’s involvement this year is minimal, extending mainly to free access of the ArtWalk signage, markers and TVAG display panels for the event, several of its board members are volunteering, in a more limited capacity, to the 2008 ArtWalk. TVAG is grateful to see the event they worked so hard to build will continue, and happy that it helps to support the Bothwell.

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