It’s been a depressing week here at the Local Knowledge blog. We’ve exposed the travesty of holding the Camden Mayoral Debate at 12pm. We’ve ranted about how self-congratulatory articles and calling in favors by local politicians are fueled by election calculus and only make residents more cynical. And we’ve given students mid-terms. So I thought today I’d provide some pretty pictures and point to a bright side of Camden to emphasize how good things happen when people are walking in a city.
Here are a few pictures from the live art performance by William Butler over at Gallery Eleven One for Third Thursdays in Camden. The first is of Will as he started on the canvas:
The Butlers have renovated a firehouse just off of campus, and converted it into an art gallery. Once a month, for Third Thursdays, it fills up with students, professionals and art afficionados.
This second picture is of the final product:
I won’t wonk-out too much and turn this into a giant policy statement, but suffice it to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the turnout for these events, especially now that students are back. One of the striking things about Camden is how often there are few people on the streets. That is when my “danger meter” goes up, when I’m alone on a city block. Events like this go a long way toward helping people get comfortable with walking in the city (unlike policies like the business curfew, which are designed to keep people off the streets at night, but that’s another story).
Alright, no more Jane Jacobisms. Just enjoy the pictures. And if you find yourself in Camden on the Third Thursday of the month, stop by, say hello, and maybe buy some art.
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