Letters
What do you think?
Please send letters to: AGENDA,
220 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104.
Artists, Politicos, Musicians Unite!
I enjoyed the "Ten Worst Landlords" piece. Now we know which ones to avoid. How about a "Twenty Best Landlords" piece to help out tenants and property owners who do a great Job providing quality housing?
Arwulf's Dr. Diag piece was great - funny and exceptionally clear in the detailed portrayal of the man behind the voice.
As a new reader of AGENDA, I am unaware of the "editorial expansion" Blaine Crosby mentioned in his letter ("Poets Need Forum, Too"-Sept, 1993). It's a good idea, especially if it includes publishing art, photography and poetry.
Perhaps you could merge with Jesse Arana's "Art Light," a publication that recently folded due to a lack of funding. It may be too difficult to support a new publication until it gains popularity, but your existing advertising base and editorial experience would benefit Art Light. That publication's adventurous spirit, exceptionally high quality, and commitment to artistic freedom would gain AGENDA a new, wider audience.
A merger between an art publication and a political publication like AGENDA would help lead the way, at least symbolically, toward uniting Ann Arbor's diverse and largely disconnected political, artistic and musical subcultures.
Ann Arbor boasts more talent than cities twice its size, yet people are separated. Each group inches its way toward its own unique goal. We could all make so much more progress and have more fun if we were united. Why not throw huge art-politics-music parties and festivals for fundraising, networking, etcetera? Bands are trying to get signed, artists want to make a living from their art, and activists want to change the world. Let's meet and help each other!
My music is more fun when I'm collaborating with other musicians, talking with other artists about work, and hashing out the day's current issues with interested folks. That's why I started a semi-regular, informal "meeting of the minds"-style, fun, networking group. Called The Gathering, ifs been very successful as a small, comfortable, informal, word-of-mouth venture.
Anyone can do it - all you need is the desire to meet people, and a place to meet. Put up flyers, make some phone calls, and you've got a group. (Anyone interested in The Gathering, by the way, can reach me via the phone book).
It's starting. Art coffee shops, underground venues (like The Lab) and Open Jams like the ones at "Griff's Jams" are just beginning to get us together.
Ann Arbor, awaken and join the living! There is life beyond the yuppified Main Street strip, but only if you help make it happen.
K. Timothy Mantyla
ANN ARBOR