By CAROLYN KRANZLER

THE CITY CLUB of Eugene and The Register-Guard agreed to focus on "Arts in the Community" in 2001. Both have featured articles and programs on different facets of an important part of the life of our city and its citizens.

In the past year there has been an increasing level of activity surrounding arts in our community. A variety of groups have met to discuss the possibility of the arts as a catalyst for development. The Downtown Visioning Committee speaks of mixed use and artists' lofts. We've heard of the Visual Arts Consortium, an Arts and Entertainment District, the Gallery District, the Renaissance Group, the Eugene Artists Academy and, recently, the Downtown Advocacy Alliance; all are trying to harness and utilize the tremendous arts energy with which we are surrounded. How strong is this force? How truly important are the arts to us? I can't speak in terms of a financial impact, but I will address the evidence of our local interest and comment on some direction for the future.

As part of planning for a City Club research project on the arts, an informal survey of arts-related entities within the city center was made to gather some basic data. The information has turned out to be extremely interesting. The effort was to be inclusive, and not dedicated to "fine arts" alone. Fine arts galleries, a coffee shop with rotating art shows exhibiting work for sale, tattoo parlors, designers of all kinds and a flower shop with a children's art exhibit were recorded. The survey also included venues for traditional performing arts, disco and even ballroom dancing.

A simple map was used that covers an eight-square-block area, from Third Avenue south to Eleventh Avenue and from Lincoln Street east to High Street. Five arts-related categories were identified, color-coded and located on the map.

The broad groups shown are: 1) art galleries, art of a different kind, art and something else, jewelry design and photography; 2) architects, landscape architects and designers; 3) art support, art supplies and framing, music support and arts organizations, including nonprofit organizations; 4) venues for music, dance and theater, 5) historic buildings and museums, and 6) "outdoor" art, including sculpture installations and murals.

About 200 sites within this central city area were identified that are involved with the arts in some way. The list could easily exceed 250 if historic buildings and all public buildings with art on display were included. This is an astounding number, and it strongly suggests that we have an arts and entertainment district in place at this time in our city center.

We have First Friday Art Walks, the activity of the Hult Center, the very popular Mayor's Art Show, the Mayor's Youth Art Show, The Salon des Refuses and the Saturday Market. Once a year during the Eugene Celebration we focus on the People's Choice Awards for local architecture. We have live theater, improvisational comedy and dance classes of every kind there. The Oregon Festival of American Music is planning its own facility and has founded its new Institute of Music. Art-specific groups such as the Weavers' Guild and the Mask-Makers' Guild abound elsewhere in the city.

It seems that we are experiencing a growing awareness and a growing participation in the arts in general. Our new city library will provide us with the biggest arts support resource possible.

The city of Eugene's Planning and Development Department hopes to facilitate positive development downtown with the opening of Broadway, and the department speaks of "Great Streets" - in my mind a euphemism for vibrant, active areas. Can we create an Arts Overlay District in the city center with special signage to signify the unique personality of this area? Do we have a gallery district within it, a library area, a performing arts area? Shall we continue our development of the city center and capitalize on this strength in the arts and culture that we already possess?

Perhaps it is time for Downtown Eugene Inc. to use its special assessment capabilities as a business improvement district to aid the business climate within the area, develop a marketing plan and provide some funding to help relocate even more arts-related businesses to the area. Can we partner with building owners to provide temporary facilities to add other arts activities and further enliven the area?

We can learn to consider our city center in a new light and, over time, create an ingrained pattern of the city center as the resource and the source for arts-related activities of all kinds. Is it time to begin planning for a visual arts facility in the central area, for exhibition and education to nurture, reinforce and record the arts in our community? We can lay the groundwork now for an eventual group of cultural facilities in the city center. Our anchors can be the Hult Center, the Shedd Institute of Music, the Eugene Library and a Community Visual Arts Building in the city center.

The map of the city center area, with the lists of businesses, offices and entertainment venues and the lists of businesses will be on display at future City Club of Eugene meetings. The club meets on Fridays at noon usually on the 12th floor of the Hilton Hotel. Anyone is welcome to post missed businesses within the area on the City Club of Eugene web site, www.cityclubofeugene.org. We seek comments on possible uses for our survey.

Carolyn Kranzler of Eugene is an architect and a member of the Eugene City Club's board of directors.

Downtown Eugene is sprinkled with arts organizations, exhibition spaces, performance venues and arts-related businesses, creating a foundation for an arts district in the city's core.

Map: STEPHANIE BARROW / The Register-Guard