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Letter to the editor

Art sets up shop on 49th St.

The new 49-day festival will use the corridor as a gallery.

By NICK JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Published January 13, 2008

GULFPORT - A fledgling art festival has set out to expand the contemporary art scene from the well-established Beach Boulevard to a less likely locale along 49th Street S.

The new festival, 49/1, 49 Days and Nights of Contemporary Art, is a collection of art exhibits, installations and film showings in nontraditional exhibition spaces along the thoroughfare.

The events began Saturday and will continue through Feb. 29 at a number of private businesses and public spaces, including the city's Neighborhood Center.

"It's based upon the concept of the city as a museum," said Marlene Shaw, president of City of Imagination Inc., the not-for-profit group organizing the event.

"You take exciting businesses and buildings, and art exhibitions are set up in those facilities."

City of Imagination has embraced the concept, sponsoring established and emerging local artists by holding exhibitions and performances throughout the city.

Now they hope the local art scene that helped revive the waterfront district can do the same for the strip of businesses along Gulfport's eastern border.

"Most of us realize that when you bring art to an area, it tends to bring more life to that area," Shaw said. "There's a lot of improvement going on in the community. This just goes along with what we hope to see along 49th Street."

The corridor also has been the focus of recent city efforts, including updated lighting and streetscaping.

"49th Street is not just a lazy street," Mayor Michael Yakes said of the business corridor. "We need to utilize and capitalize on the traffic and draw the attention of the travelers and have them spend some money."

The name of the festival, 49/1, represents its location, duration and year. Organizers hope that the 49-day festival will become an annual event, followed by 49/2 next year, and so on.

A number of exhibits will be held for the duration of the festival, but a variety of one-day events also are planned. For a complete listing of upcoming events and locations, visit www.cityofimagination.info.

Nick Johnson can be reached at nickjohnson@sptimes.com or 893-8361.

[Last modified January 12, 2008, 21:34:02]