The Percolator
Lawrence, Kansas 2007 -
Before the Percolator had a name or a space it was the dream of a small group of Lawrence artists, curators, writers and architects who imagined a place that didn’t exist but felt necessary. It was December of 2007 when local artists, arts administrators, teachers, curators and others met at my studio to talk about the rash of recent gallery closings (including the Olive, Grimshaw, LOYO, Fields, Art Guild and Paragraph galleries) and how we might begin to imagine new spaces where artists could reach their audiences. Folks lamented over how few spaces were left and how even those like the Spencer Museum and Lawrence Arts Center were difficult to get shown in. Among the many ideas shared that night (tax breaks for arts-based businesses, new galleries, expanded opportunities to show in alternative spaces, art markets) was the desire to create a community-based, collaborative space where local artists could experiment, and where sales weren’t a driving force. A smaller group of folks who shared that desire met over the next few months, and in February of 2008 the first ever Lawrence Percolator production, titled The EX - Show, opened at my studio, 411 East 9th Street.
