Like a modern city centre private membership gymnasium excet that rather than accessing treadmills and sauna, there are arts materials and workshop spaces, recording studios, video editing suites, computers for writing/ design projects etc. a studio theatre space and tutors trained in the various disciplines to assist you.
Classes are also available if there is a particular skill you wish you want to learn/ improve on. Also sign up to any of the groups who are producing group projects such as plays, putting together bands or shooting films.
The Art Gym also has contacts with local theatres galleries and publishing houses should you wish to get you work out there.
The Gym of course has lots of chill out space, library, coffee shop etc.
Ditch the leotard, get creative!!!-- etherman, Aug 10 2005 The Shipyard http://www.theshipyard.org/about.htmlInteresting collaborative build space [skinflaps, Aug 10 2005] My local Y http://www.92y.org/...sounds very much like what you're describing. No annual membership, but plenty of classes. [FYI, it's a YMHA, not a YMCA, but same difference in the end.) [DrCurry, Aug 10 2005] A communal art studio that also hosts classes http://www.sdartdept.com/index.htm"It's 3,700 square feet of creative play space which beckons all manner of artists to work, play, learn, teach, exhibit, critique and commune with one another in a venue designed specifically for painting, pottery, sculpting, tiling, exhibiting, and more." [robinism, Aug 11 2005] This is an interesting one - my children will sit down and draw pictures of whatever comes into their heads - pirate ships, witches, powerful cars, maps, what they've done the previous day - anything, really. Adults however seem to lose the urge to draw for fun.-- hippo, Aug 10 2005 Sounds like a Uni.-- skinflaps, Aug 10 2005 Yes indeed it does sound like a uni. But with out the huge fees, academic pressures and frat boy antics.
It is in a sense an attempt to give people back the expressive freedoms they may have enjoyed in college or school. Before they got chained to a desk.-- etherman, Aug 10 2005 Nice link *skin*. This idea was partly inspired by talking to people who when I say I'm involved in theatre say 'Oh i did that at school wish I'd kept it on.' And they would but both night classes and Am-Dram can be exceeedingly naff. Hopefully the Art Gym will be a bit more credible for people to take the plunge.-- etherman, Aug 10 2005 Sounds like a bunch of hippies taking over MoMA. What's not to like?-- shapu, Aug 10 2005 I'll give you this bun, if I can eat the crayons.-- skinflaps, Aug 10 2005 Gets my croissant if I can watch when they ditch their leotards.-- DrCurry, Aug 10 2005 I'm kind of serious about this idea (for once). It wouldnt be a hippy commune type atmosphere, it would be a bit more structured and concentrated (again like a gym).-- etherman, Aug 10 2005 On reflection, it all sounds like the local Y.-- DrCurry, Aug 10 2005 is that Alan Alda?-- po, Aug 10 2005 I'd like to know what the standard of tuition and facilities are in the establishmnets connected to those links. The Art Gym would be state of the art and staffed with top notch practitoner/tutors.-- etherman, Aug 11 2005 I think for many ordinary people there is something off-putting about "art" culture, whereas "craft" culture is easier to relate to. It is as though people who identify with the art world are continually pushing toward the fringe, where, by definition, most people don't want to be.
If you could have an establishment that was earthy and immediate, and that kept plenty of signs of ordinariness, while keeping a place for the far-out, that would be a great service, and I'd love to be a member. Unfortunately, over time, most art places come to be steered by those most identified with the arts and they set the tone. I think many people would like the actual making of art, but aren't ready to join the tribe.-- dhill, Aug 11 2005 etherman: the standards, and facilities, at the 92nd St Y are as high as any adult education center I've seen.-- DrCurry, Aug 11 2005 Glad to hear it Doc. Sounds like a cool place. Do they help you to present your work in any way?
Yep <dhill> I get very frustrated by the atmosphere in many artistic buildings and organisations and I know its a turn off for many.
Hopefully this being tailored to the individual might make having to conform to the group less of an issue.
Inductions would be carried out in the same why as with a Gym. A personal development plan would be set up so that your needs and interests are met by the Art Gym and you get the most out of it.-- etherman, Aug 12 2005 I've just started baking this idea myself, running arts based workshops from a swanky city centre Gym in Belfast and hope to have my own premises in about 18 months. Hopefully I'lll be able to pop an MFD tag on this once my baking is done :)-- etherman, Aug 17 2006 Local Authority Adult Ed. centres usually have just a few teachers who transcend the shambolic/naff public service thing and do something beautiful and edifying with drawing, painting, writing- rather as you are suggesting.
It just needs to be less hit-and-miss, so I think it's sorta three-quarters baked, is this one...
It encapsulates something I very much beleive in, so bun from me [+]-- Azazello, Aug 17 2006 One of the features of Art Gym which has gotten people excited is the greater emphasis on social interaction. Alot of people join gyms to meet people and make friends, but the conversation opportunities during step aerobics or yoga are fairly limited. Drama, singing and dance classes offer a much better opportunity to integrate with other gym members.-- etherman, Aug 22 2006 random, halfbakery