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Art Show was no show this year

By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer



WEST SPRINGFIELD "Lack of vendors," said Domenic G. Longo, Jr. director of the West Springfield Parks and Recreation Department(WSPRD) the reason behind the cancellation of the City's annual Art Show on the Green to Reminder Publications early this month.

"It is a Catch 22," said Longo, "Vendors attend based on your attendance numbers and the public attends based on your vendors."

The cut off date for vendors signing up for the show that would have occurred last weekend was June 28, according to Longo.

"We needed 70 vendors to break even," Longo said, "By mid- June we had 32."

At that point Longo, facing financial decisions, canceled the show stating that he believed it to be impossible to get all the vendors the show needed.

Longo did say that if all the vendors that had called last week (after the decision to cancel the show had been made) had called earlier then it would have been one of the biggest art shows the area had seen.

"We are open to suggestions," said Longo in explaining that because the WSPRD is not having the show it would be premature at this point to say the fate of next year's show.

"A lot of people were surprised that it went as long as it did," said Longo, "There used to be 200 different [Art] shows. Now it is less than 100. The WestFest is gone, the Springfield Arts Festival - a lot of them just folded," he said.

The art show was a self sustaining event and there is no money in the municipal budget to put into an art show, Longo said.

Longo mentioned other reasons for the cancellation of this year's event included lack of responses from artists that were sent questionare mailings; crafters having gone out of business; and others having given up the craft in favor of going back to school.

"We had a long-time exhibiter who was a perennial winner who gave up two years ago because she was going to go back to college and to pay her tuition she had to get a job with more money," said Longo.

"The vendors can also pick and choose what shows they want to attend and many are along the coast, the North shore, Rockport," said Longo.

Longo said that members of the Community that have suggestion can contact him at the WSPRD at (413) 263-3284.