MISCmedia for 1/4/01
It's So Patronizing

MANY ARTS AND THEATER PUBLICATIONS have come and gone, nationally and locally, over the years.

The local attempts have mostly foundered or struggled on a lack of cash flow. Artists and artsy-type folk are often considered insufficiently upscale for advertisers to bother with. Already-strapped funding organizations have had other priorities than merely documenting whatever visual or performing projects are already out there. That's left these would-be documentors to work on an all-volunteer basis, with the personal-burnout rates and marketing weaknesses built into that concept.

One local outfit thinks it has the answer. Their magazine's aimed not at artists, nor even at the bulk of their audiences.

Instead, Arts Patron (whose third issue should be out this month) is aimed squarely at upper-crust good-life-livers who (as a common stereotype goes) "Support the Arts" partly out of a good-works motivation, partly for the tax breaks, and partly for social status.

It's mailed free to addresses on the fundraising mailing lists of ten participating theaters, museums, and hibrow-music ensembles. The rest of us have to read it online. (Thus keeping those downscale painters and actors and other assorted boho types from lowering the print edition's advertiser value).

Seattle didn't used to have very many of these patrons. Certainly not enough for a slick nine-times-a-year magazine to be aimed just at them. But post-Bill Seattle apparently has enough for publisher Jonathan Nichols to give it a shot. (If the concept works, Nichols may try to expand it to other towns.)

Should us non-gazillionaires care about the whole endeavor? From the looks of the first two issues, yes. Editor Douglas McLellan (who briefly was the best thing that had ever happened to the P-I arts section) has gone beyond mere PR hypeage for the mag's participating institutions. Sure there are big pieces about the new Bellevue Arts Museum and the John Singer Sargent show at the Seattle Art Museum. But there are also big pieces about the Total Experience Gospel Choir, filmmaker Sandy Cioffi, the alterna-art space Howard House, and local mural-preservation advocate Roger van Oosten. McLellan himself contributes an important item about a UW study showing ballet dancers can have careers as short and injury-prone as pro football players (at far lower salaries).

So go to the site. Let its makers know you like it, and that you deserve the chance to see it in print even if you're not a gazillionaire.

IN OTHER NEWS: Loyal reader Danny Goodisman writes, "Rumor has it, Paul Schell may run for re-election. To help him along, here are proposed slogans for Paul Schell's re-election:

• 10. Still not a wimp.

• 9. Support international child labor.

• 8. Affordable housing for the rich.

• 7. Once a developer, always a developer.

• 6. Give corporate welfare a chance.

• 5. Blacks and Hispanics 'raus.

• 4. Known round the world.

• 3. More ugly architecture for the Center.

• 2. King County multi-billionaires agree: Paul Schell for mayor.

• 1. Leadership which can bring tears to your eyes."

TOMORROW: How to revive any waning popcult genre--make it Christian.

ELSEWHERE:

• A Brit looks at motels in the movies (found by Arts & Letters Daily)....

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