Exhibit gives hope for life in downtown Florence

Florence, we’ve got a pulse ... The opening of the Art in the Windows exhibit revealed a heartbeat in downtown Florence that has long been thought lost. Thanks to the vision of the Art in the Windows committee, this small, but crucial resuscitation effort has proven that our poor downtown conditions are not terminal, that, indeed, if we offer it, they will come.

And they are coming — people from across the county and beyond are stopping by the old Kimbrell’s building at 135 S Dargan St. to take in a once unimaginable site: two stories, in the very heart of downtown, filled with the works of nearly 40 local artists. Thanks to special lighting, embarking on a “drive by” through the nighttime streets of town is a venture that’s attracting the cultural eye rather than the eye of law enforcement.

First suggested by Art in the Windows committee member and local orthodontist Townsend Holt, the project is a simple, but powerful idea that has proven to be successful in other cities seeking to reenergize declining areas. For example, similar efforts have provided reinforcements for the Steel City of Pittsburgh, given the disenchanted new reasons to love Philadelphia, and encouraged folks to find their way back to San Jose. Though these projects were likely on a much larger scale than our own, the aim is the same: to attract people.

Some of the other benefits cited by the committee include:

• Improving the appearance of downtown

• Preventing the vandalism of empty properties

• Increasing curb appeal to attract buyers/leasers for empty properties

• Giving the impression of “life” in an empty building

• Attracting a population that normally wouldn’t go to art galleries

• Creating awareness about the excitement of local culture

• Making downtown an attractive destination

Art in the Windows also is the first step in the quest to establish an arts trail in Florence. The first two phases of the project are designed to add additional buildings to the display effort and eventually provide a springboard for future gallery events. And there is already talk of new businesses on the horizon as a direct result of the current happenings.

There’s nothing like cultural opportunities to draw people to a downtown area, something the Art in the Windows committee, the Florence Downtown Development Corp., and those behind other revitalization projects such as the building of Florence Little Theatre and the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library, understand well. The future Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center and the probable relocation of the Florence Museum to downtown would inject even more momentum into this movement toward community enrichment.

People are the lifeblood of any revitalization, and the arts provide a major artery through which we experience — and contribute to — the growth of our community.

Your interest and support will ensure the beat goes on.

ART IN THE WINDOWS EXHIBIT

The Art in the Windows exhibit is open to the public from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays through Dec. 19. You can read more details about this project and the proposed art trail in Sunday’s Pee Dee Living section.