Underground Art
by Allen ~ July 1st, 2008. Filed under: Houston.Literally. If you work downtown you are familiar with the underground tunnels linking many downtown buildings and providing secure and climate controlled space for getting around downtown and grabbing something to eat. There are retail spaces available and as everytime I walk past them I think what a great spot for an art space.
Specifically I can see these spaces utilized as a satellite exhibit space for one of the museums. Rather than be a major stop the displays in the underground provide a tease to lure people in to the full-time exhibits. I doubt the space would succeed with an entrance fee so it would be subsidized as an advertisement for the main buildings.
Likewise I can also see how a space rented by a consortium of commercial galleries that displays a selection of their artists could also work to draw visitors into their space.
Downtown is bursting with desireable demographics any of these spaces would like to have patronize their facilities. The location is secure and you can limit your overhead by opening during the limited high-traffic times of 11-2 around lunch when the tunnels are busiest. Plus, if you have seating space, a limited comodity, you’re that much more of a draw.