Marietta Cancels “Concerts On the Square”
Decatur Metro | May 14, 2010 | 11:16 amThe AJC reports that Marietta has canceled its decade-long tradition of daytime “Concerts on the Square”. Why?
…few of the city and county employees headquartered just blocks away ever showed up with store-bought fare. In their place came moms toting dancing toddlers, said Mike Gabler, a city parks official.
“It rapidly turned into a moms’ day out type of thing,” he said.
Businesses complained about the parking spaces lost to the concert.
…Stores and restaurants initially embraced the idea, thinking it would boost their bottom line. But it didn’t turn out that way.
I guess this is pretty plain evidence of the difference between Marietta and Decatur.
Its actually a pretty common urban planning issue that fairs/concerts etc can kill business for that day for the very reasons mentioned….folks show up for the show…not to buy books or tshirts or whatever the establishments are selling.
This story gives support to the idea that Atlanta, by and large, seems to value culture only insofar as it can make a buck out of it. We’ve got lots of creative folks here, but nothing resembling the lively arts scenes of the other major cities on or near the East coast. As long as we think of culture only in economic terms, it will stay that way. Losing money but developing a new generation of musicians and music-lovers is worth it, in my mind. Otherwise, let’s cut music classes in public schools while we’re at it.
I’m as much a fan of the arts as the next person, but how is it on the backs of the merchants to develop a “new generation of musicians and music-lovers”? It was obviously a promotion to try to drum up business during the day, so what’s wrong with canceling it if it didn’t pan out?
Your comment still frames culture in terms of the economic bottom-line. Fans of the arts don’t see things this way; briefly distracting people from commercial activity is a small price to pay for the enormous quality-of-life returns that free, plentiful public music may bring.
maybe the fans of the art festival or whatever the event is, should pay for the economic loss to the business. just a thought.
Sure, as long as the positive benefit as well as the negative is measured. Businesses don’t always really understand the true financial picture, as evidenced by the number with poor business models that then fail.
I was being a bit facetious to BB’s lack of caring about the local business (obviously not their business!) over building new musicians.
They said it was worth it to lose money for the gain of building new artists…fine…but not on the back of local business IMO…if they want it so bad, they should pay for it.
But i guess its easier to mess with someone elses money!
I guess we should weigh in here. I haven’t even read all the comments, but they seem to be divided into two camps: First, there are those who do not think that events, particularly events centered around the arts (performing or visual), do much to help the individual businesses or perhaps even the city’s bottom line. Then there are those that feel that its not a matter of helping the bottom line, that it is a matter of quality of life, which the arts are traditionally an important part of. Since we are an art gallery, I’d like to make a few observations. During weekends that the Inman Park Festival, the Dogwood Festival, and the like are going on, our business is nil. During the Decatur Arts Festival, our business is slightly better than normal for that time of the year. The interesting thing is that, in the weeks following the festival, business is fabulous. There are probably a variety of different conclusions that could be drawn from this phenomenon but we like to think that it was because of the attention that the event brings to the city of Decatur and particularly to the arts. Last night, there was a concert on the square and we happened to have an opening the same evening. What we had expected to be a rather poor turnout (because the artists, being from Australia, do not have a local following) turned out to be very well attended. Did we have increased sales? Perhaps; certainly not bad sales. Will some of those people come back? Yes. Will they spend money? Who knows. We have people who have been coming to our openings for the past 8 years, rarely missing one. Some of them have never spent a dime. Do we like to see them come? Yes, very much. They are artists, musicians, people who just enjoy the art or the ambiance, our friends in the community. They are also friends of the arts. We spend as much time talking with them about the art as we do our spending customers. Will they spread the word? Yes (Maybe to others that will not spend a dime). Word of mouth is the most valuable advertising any business can have.
We know that many feel that Arts funding is wasted money. Nothing can be further from the truth. There is a strong economic return for the money spent on the arts, it makes sense for those who recognize that arts funding can lead to a strong investment benefiting the community. I won’t even go into the numbers, one can find them easily enough.
A “moms’ day out” doesn’t generate business? I can’t take my kid to Scott Park without a trip to the Yogurt Tap, or walk across the Square without a stop at LSOS. And judging by the number of coffee cups in the trash at the First Christian Park, I’d be willing to bet that a huge part of Dancing Goats’ business is moms with kids. Maybe Marietta needs to think about attracting a different mix of businesses.
Actually, one of the more interesting infrastructure differences between Decatur and Marietta is highlighted here. Decatur moms tend to walk to the square if my observations are correct, whereas in Marietta they apparently tend to drive.
I’m not sure that the program should be seen as resting on the “backs of businesses.” Sure, there might be a trade off with a decline in business on what was already a slow weekday lunch slot, but the program had clearly become popular with the resident citizens. These are the small, relatively low cost programs that help weave the fabric of a community. It’s a chance for moms to get to know each other, etc.
There are some events that happen in Decatur that kill most of the business in shops for that weekend, but most business owners accept it as part of the cost of doing business here. There is, in general, an understanding that these events promote the idea of the square as a destination, and that can only help them.
I dragged my wife up to the Marietta Square one day this winter–we shopped and ate and had a pretty good time despite it being bitterly cold. I had gone up there last year for the Gobble Jog, saw some cools places that were closed because it was early in the morning, and decided I wanted to spend a day sometime. Those merchants probably complain about the mess and the street closings around the run, but it does pay off for them.
“The concerts, which cost about $200 apiece, were not originally intended as merely an economic stimulant. They also were meant to provide cultural enrichment to the public, Gabler said.”
So, they only cost $200 apiece to put on, were well-attended, but the Marietta city government pulled the plug because the Square’s businesses were inconvenienced for one afternoon a week, two months out of the year? It’s pretty obvious that cultural enrichment for its own sake (and the citizens’ enjoyment of same) just isn’t a priority for Marietta. I’d argue that the City of Decatur views it very differently– and that’s one of the many, many reasons I’d rather live here than there.
Oh my stars. What a horrible tendency. Doing something that was popular with moms.
Don’t they know they’re supposed to be at home, giving those child a nap and then scrubbing the floors?
And of course they have no money to spend because they’ve never had any ambition or work skills, before or after children, and have to depend on whatever pittance their husbands deign to throw their way, mostly for victuals and baby swaddling.
Also, just from a purely economic, pro-business perspective, what happens when folks with kids decide that Marietta is a terrible place to live because there’s nothing to do with the kids during the week? My guess is that they’ll move to Decatur.
Darren hit the nail on the head. One afternoon of slow businees equals advertising to hundreds (thousands even) for future patronage. Very short sighted perspective from the local business in my opinion.
I’m not even going to wade into the culture/community debate. I’ll just say I’m glad I live in Decatur.
Damn those dancing toddlers.
We go to the Concerts on the Square quite often and yes, my toddlers dance. We walk there, pick up Chik-fil-a, a pizza from Johnny’s or burgers from the Brick Store. When we leave, we usually stop in to buy a book at Little Shop of Stories and window shop at Squash Blossom, Worthmore and Vivid. (I go back to buy things when I don’t have rambunctious kids with me). I don’t know what Marietta is doing wrong, but the Decatur concerts work for us and I think they’re pretty good for business, too.
As a former Decaturite who now lives in Marietta, I still have a love for my old “hood”, so I check in with this blog now and again. So naturally, this thread caught my attention.
I may be in the unique position of knowledge of both communities from a citizen perspective and I must say that Marietta is no less “cultured” or art supportive than Decatur. Indeed, the argument could be made for the opposiite position.
Marietta rescued, raised money and renovated the Earl Smith “Strand Theatre”, which is nothing short of breathtaking. On any given weekend or weeknight, you can catch a stage show, classic movie, local Pebblebrook High School production (wow are those kids talented!), etc. Across the square you can find “Theatre in the Square” currently showing a production of “His Eye is on the Sparrow”, with “Greater Tuna” coming right after. Not your cup of tea? How about the Atlanta Lyric THeatre in Marietta, which last week featured Chita Rivera. Coming up” A Funny Thing happened on the Way to the Forum.” and ” Hairspray” after that. These are road shows, not local productions.
We also have a wonderful museum:Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, which specializes in American artists both current and historical. Off the square but still in the city limits, we have a convention center, a symphone auditorium where the Atlanta Ballet runs a complete season. While Decatur has eating establishments like no other, I dont’ think a wise person would want to start comparing the two communities with regards to arts and culture. And statting that Marietta: “cultural enrichment for its own sake (and the citizens’ enjoyment of same) just isn’t a priority for Marietta” is just..ahem..uninformed, to be nice about it.
I will always cherish my 10 years in Decatur and will never speak an unkind word of the community. I hope that the often comfortably insular life that can be led in Decatur won’t prevent many of you from visiting another great, talented, involved community and its’ arts and culture and that is my new hometown, Marietta.
And by the way, we have a Farmers Market like no other every Saturday ON THE SQUARE from 9 – 12 and it runs from May to December. I buy fresh milk, cheeses, pastas, vegetables, yard plants, bakery items, heirloom roses, vegetables that rival East Point farmers market, and even a Greyhound rescue/home placement booth for racing dogs needing a home. I would be happy to meet you and show you our community. But we have a trolley tour that will tour you around and give you much better information that I have learend in the year I have lived there.
Marietta is a lovely, happening jewel. That is one thing we have in common with Decatur.
Jim,
I don’t doubt that Marietta has cultural options; what I do think is that the options you just presented all cost money – and most of them are pretty expensive. If Atlanta and the surrounding cities want to be a world-class center of culture (which we have the talent and money to be), we should have both plentiful costly AND plentiful free cultural opportunities. If you go to New York City, or Boston, or Paris, etc., you can go to a beautiful opera hall, or you can walk down the street and see free concerts all over the place (not to mention plentiful public visual art, as well as visual art held in museums that cost money). Marietta is a wealthy place, but just canceled a popular free concert series because a few shop owners complained about it. I am writing this comment and the others on this page because I am worried that this action – namely, cutting the budget for public art – will dwindle for a number of reasons. Expensive high culture will always be there, because it makes money. But what separates world-class cultural hubs from other cities is their commitment to public art, and that’s what Atlanta misses.
BB:
I couldn’t agree more. But saying that world class cities likeBOSTOn, or NYC, or PARiS and their free cultural options compare to Decatur or Marietta ( or even Atlanta) is not apples to apples.. I am clearly not saying that this was a good move…I don’t know all the factors involved in the decision (nor does anyone here who has commented). I was responding to comments that inferred that my new hometown “doesn’t care” about the arts, when in reality it coalesced to save and catalyze the arts via grassroots support.
When I lived in Decatur, the little theatre group struggled to even get folks to attend its’ performances….it wasn’t a question of “costing money”. That theatre group is now closed. I guess it is just a matter of preferences and priorities. Most in Decatur don’t think much of dropping some serious cash to eat out, but chafe at paying for a local theatre group performance. There are NO theatre groups or performing arts in Decatur at all,other than Eddie’s Attic , which is a business, not a community cultural center. Why? Because folks don’t want it or wish to support it. It is a decision neither right or wrong, but a choice everyone makes with their dollar.
Seems we have the opposite here in Marietta:: folks will pay for theater/entertainment but fancy eating establishments…meh. I just wanted to set the record straight with regards to comments, both direct and inferred, that Marietta doesn’t care about the arts because of this one example. Furthermore, street festivals, beer fests/ arts fests,(fill in the blank) fests are not indicative of a cultured commmunity. We have plenty of the same here in Marietta…plus the sold out events to which one must purchase a ticket to attend.
“There are NO theatre groups or performing arts in Decatur at all,other than Eddie’s Attic , which is a business, not a community cultural center. Why? Because folks don’t want it or wish to support it. It is a decision neither right or wrong, but a choice everyone makes with their dollar.”
Huh. The fine folks at PushPush Theater, among others, might disagree with you.
http://www.pushpushtheater.com/
Jim Warren does have a point. But there isn’t a theatrical venue on the square like there is in Marietta. And, snobby sounding or not, the productions in Marietta are pretty middlebrow (at best), at least the ones I’ve seen listed. I do believe if those venues (the Strand, particularly) were in Decatur and programmed smartly, they would do a good business.
Also, how are the Strand and the Theater on the Square not businesses like Eddie’s Attic? I’ve always had to pay admission when I’ve been to those venues. Are there some other, “free” theaters that I’m not aware of?
Fair enough. The Strand is a non-profit, I believe but could be wrong. It was salvaged via private citizenry and corporate funds, and as theatre since its’ inception in the 30′s, It raises funds through supporters as well. Eddie’s is a fine business but more like a nightclub/venue. Hair splitiing perhaps, but that’s how I see it different than Eddie’s. Ditto with Theatre in the Square…and Strand and TITS (ha!) operate under the leadership of a Board of Directors.
And Cubalibre, as I stated at the beginning ( I think?) I am not comparing the two cities. And the tax base is smaller (boy I REALLY remember that), although I do remember that anyone who lives between 1-85 and 1-20 often say they live in Decatur. They differ in many ways. And I am gay and have had nothing but welcoming neighbors, friendly folks, etc. We all know (including my neighbors) that the ordinance SIXTEEN years ago was a disgrace.
Parker, here is a shout out to all my buddies and free-yuns in Decatur! Patio Party at the CCSD in Oakhurst is coming up in early June and hope to make that. EVERYONE GET YOUR TIX NOW!
Lump, you are right. Sorry to PUSH PUSH. Me memory, she ain’t what she used to be.
I’m glad you have had a positive experience in Marietta. Things have changed a lot in 16 years, though people sometimes forget that. The kind of attitudes exhibited there then still exist, but they are slowly fading and mostly belong to the boobs.
I wasn’t operating under the assumption that you were comparing the two cities, per se– but you were comparing their cultural scenes. That’s what I was addressing when I discussed the population stats (because you really can’t compare the two cultural scenes if you don’t take that into the equation, and when you do, it becomes clear that the number of venues alone isn’t the sole indicator of how supportive one place is vs. another).
Like Brianc, I’m glad you’ve had a positive experience. However, I have gay friends, as well as friends of varied racial/ethnic background, who’ve had very different experiences than you– and not 16 years ago, either (they responded by moving ITP, and yes, some into Decatur). One can hope attitudes will change enough for the bigots to be in the minority in Marietta/Cobb County, but they’re not quite there yet.
Jim, I’m sorry you took offense at my comments about Marietta’s cancelling its Concerts on the Square series– like most ITP’ers, I’ll confess to being a bit harsh in my assessment of the cultural/philosophical outlook of our sister burgs OTP. However, I think I need to clarify your comparative statements on the cultural scenes vis-a-vis Marietta & Decatur. For starters (and this is a big starter), the City of Marietta’s population (not including the areas in unincorporated Cobb) is approx. 58,000, give or take a few; the population of Decatur (not including unincorporated DeKalb) is around 18,000. It would take feats of monumental corporate philanthropy for us to even come close to being able to match the financial resources that Marietta has to tap for its arts scene, so it would be surprising if Marietta didn’t have more such attractions– comparing the two isn’t an equal propostion when it comes to the tangible assets. Your emphasis on what Marietta has, as opposed to what Decatur doesn’t have, isn’t indicative of a lack of community support on Decaturites’ part, it’s simply that we can’t afford what you can. And last time I checked, the Atlanta Ballet performs at the Cobb Energy Center, which is actually not in the city limits of Marietta (it in fact is in the 30339 ZIP code, which is unincorporated Cobb, with an Atlanta address). Further, while the Atlanta Lyric Theatre does use The Strand, its move there from Atlanta was very recent, and motivated by– you guessed it– financial need. I can’t argue with you on the MCMOA– it’s impressive. What Decatur lacks in the financial resources (or the population necessary to support arts venues), it more than makes up for in the community involvement– and that includes the business community– behind each endeavor we do make. What all of those venues have in common is that they’re well-sponsored and financially successful. Do you really think that if the Cobb Energy Center started to lose money as a venue, that all of those companies would still be lining up to be associated with it as a sponsor? As a law student, I pulled a hitch in the Appellate Division of the Cobb DA well over a decade ago, and I can tell you that the Square was nowhere near what it’s trying to be today. As a destination, it’s much better, but it’s just not very much fun. I can also tell you that the likelihood is very slim that the Decatur Business Association would decide that it will stop sponsoring our COTS series because it’s turned into more of a “Moms’ Day Out” instread of an immediate boon to the businesses in the immediate vicinity. To me, and this is just my opinion, Marietta’s business community seems happy to sponsor venues that are financially successful, rather than the ones that are just enriching for the community’s sake. Other people have already pointed out that Decatur isn’t without many of the venues you’ve listed in Marietta, so I won’t re-visit that subject, but I think the biggest difference between Marietta and Decatur is the overall attitude– I like the vibe here better than I do there. It’s that simple. I’m also sure there are many people who haven’t forgotten that many of Marietta’s city fathers were instrumental in passing Cobb County’s anti-gay ordinance back in 1994 (which was the main reason that the Olympic torch for the ’96 Summer Games was re-routed to exclude Cobb County). I don’t know why you moved to Marietta, and it really isn’t material, as far as I’m concerned– I’m glad you’re enjoying living there. Regardless, I’d still take Decatur over 1000 Mariettas, for many more reasons than just its cultural aspects.
Also worth nothing is that Decatur is mere minutes from Atlanta and other neighborhood “scenes” (L5P, East Atl Vill.). Marietta has less competition.
Land,
businesses don’t have a right to perfect business conditions at all times. Rain detracts from restaurant business on the square, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t let it rain. In the same way, a free cultural event twice a month may briefly decrease economic traffic. But accessible cultural activity, much like rain, brings benefits that far outweigh the concerns of a few businesses on the square. Really, it doesn’t strike you as odd that a popular free music series was cancelled because a few shops thought it took away some customers? Those businesses don’t have a right to anyone’s patronage; they have to earn it. They also don’t have a right to perfect conditions at all times. Ensuring perfect business conditions over the general welfare of the town is not capitalism, it’s corporatism.
Then YOU pay for it and dont expect community business to shoulder the burden for the “greater good”.
How are they “shouldering the burden” of anything? Were they paying for the concerts? And please don’t tell me about taxes. There are a whole lot of things I’d rather my taxes not be used for, but that is not how civilization works.
Land, businesses don’t own your money for services rendered until you give it to them, so if you choose not to give it to them, you don’t owe them the difference. If it rains, the folks who have nice gardens and appreciate the rain don’t have to pay the Iberian Pig for lost revenues. If it snows, the kids playing in the snow don’t have to pay the Brick Store for lost customers. If there is a parade on the 4th of July, parade-goers don’t have to pay Heliotrope for the lost business. If you usually go out on Friday night to dinner but stay in this Friday instead, you don’t have to cut a check to Leon’s for the lost business. In the same way, if our city hosts a free jazz band, the concertgoers don’t have to pay anybody for the things they decided not to do instead.
Brianc, Land is not saying that the people should pay for the actual concert. These Marietta concerts cost $200 total to put on, and the city government paid that, not the businesses. Land is saying that the people who attend any cultural event should pay surrounding businesses for any lost revenues. Land then mocks the idea of the greater good by putting it in scare quotes, which I find even more depressing. We live in a community that actually seems to like the idea of community, but even here lots of people can’t take the idea of an actual community (i.e. as something more than an economic relationship of proximity) seriously.
For the record, I love the businesses in Decatur, and give them as much of my paycheck as I can. Thankfully they support culture in Decatur, even free concerts.
What scares me is your complete indifference to local business…you “love” them, but should they want to make a living or complain of loss of business for an event then I feel in your eyes it’s just “bummer for them”
and don’t compare acts of god (rain snow hail etc) to a forced on the local business by government event…really.
My main concern is your total lack of empathy with the business, like they are some evil entity that should just suck it up. Downtown Marietta, Decatur, Norcross, Duluth…etc are typically locally owned small operations…or at most may have a few shops around town like the new diner going in.
Your gut reaction was NOT “let’s find a way to work this out for everyone”…but seemed to be “suck it out your ear you evil business trying to make money”
am I wrong???? Where is your alternative?
I am all for culture…I love the events in Decatur, but it’s the COMMUNITY BUSINESS that bring people downtown day to day…and it’s your indifference to them that bothers me.
Land, it strikes me that your solution to this problem is a form of entitlement (i.e. “corporate welfare”) – that businesses deserve money they haven’t earned. Like I said, I don’t have to cut Heliotrope a check for lost revenue when nobody shows up on, say, Christmas day, or when a parade on July 4th draws away customers. And I shouldn’t have to cut a check to Marietta businesses if I decide to go to a concert instead of buy some of their stuff. It makes no sense.
I am proposing a capitalist alternative: businesses have to compete for the money they earn. My solution is this: if businesses on the Marietta square want to make more money, they should find ways to cater to the folks who show up to the square, no matter who they are. The problem was that the people coming to the concerts didn’t buy stuff at the surrounding boutiques. You know what the boutiques should do? Figure out what those people would buy, and sell it to them. If they can find a way to sell things to the folks who show up to free cultural events, that is great. If not, then that’s something they need to fix by seeking to better meet the needs of potential customers, NOT by lobbying the city government to shut down arts programs in the hopes that different sorts of people will come by the square. Capitalism argues that businesses need to adapt to make money in the existing marketplace as best they can, and that manipulating the marketplace itself leads to all sorts of bad things (collusion, monopoly, etc.) A non-capitalist response is this: businesses should lobby the government to change the fundamentals of the marketplace to suit how their already-existing business plan. We’ve seen so much Corporate Welfare in the past few years, I think we’re starting to believe that it’s the norm.
No, I don’t have much empathy for businesses that manipulate the government to solve their marketing problems for them. I have tons of empathy for businesses that seek to innovate in order to survive.
“but even here lots of people can’t take the idea of an actual community (i.e. as something more than an economic relationship of proximity) seriously.”
Maybe because the word is only two letters away from “communism.” They’d also probably reject ice cream socials and Omaha, Ne.
I think it is worth pointing out that our (Decatur’s) Concerts on the Square and Blue Sky Concerts are paid for by our local business community, specifically, by the Decatur Business Association. They raise the money to do so via the Decatur Beach Party and local sponsorships. I think it’s safe to conclude that our business community sees the advantage of drawing potential customers to the downtown area. Just sayin’.
On another note: to Jim Warren, we miss you but I’m glad you are thriving in Marietta. Decatur Arts festival is right around the corner, I hope you’ll come by and say Hi to all your old friends.
That’s great for Decatur, but it may not work as well for Marietta…keep that in mind.
Not all towns run the same way.
Jim Warren’s write-up of Marietta’s cultural offerings is very interesting. They’re really rocking it! Decatur folks should be exploring how we can raise our game! (And perhaps Marietta will rethink canceling the weekday concerts with all this food for thought!)
I would love to see a traditional community theater group in Decatur’s mix! Are Decaturites really too cool for August Wilson or Tennessee Williams or Oscar Wilde? Or too hip for Rodgers & Hammerstein or Stephen Sondheim? Seems like we’re really missing out on the joys of experiencing great American plays & musicals. Attending & participating in classic stage productions while growing up gave me a strong foundation to appreciate all arts. It’s my hope that Beacon Hill will be redeveloped with this opportunity in mind.
I’d also love to see the City reach out to bring touring productions to our larger available venues. Athens has had good success in attracting big name acts & productions needing to plug in dates along their tours. Let’s emulate them too!
Agreed that Jim’s list on Marietta cultural offerings is impressive.
Though I think the Strand goes a long way in keeping the arts alive and well in Marietta, there is certainly a lot more that Decatur can do to promote them. Hopefully Decatur’s arts master plan will have a list of concrete steps that can be taken to improve our own offerings.