South Shore Advocacy for Art group to meet this week

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The SSAFA group will be responsible for finding ways to fund a new (or renovated) art building, that would include studios, educational facilities, and workshops for printmaking, metalworking, creating ceramic art, and gallery space. 

The group would also promote local art, and artists’ rights.

“I’m going to see what (the meeting is) all about,” said David Correia, a photographer and artist rooted out of the Codman building.

“I’ve worked with Chuck over the years as part of Fourth Floor Artists, and he seems to have some pretty good contacts. I’m a displaced artist and basically I’m interested in seeing what the organization can do to create a permanent location for artists and the community.”

Correia said he is working with Lathrop to develop a Web site, SSAFAonline.org, which will allow artists to contact the SSAFA organization if they cannot attend the meeting. 

“I’m going to help (Lathrop) with the Web site once he gets things rolling,” Correia said. “It’s not up yet, we’re going to see if we can establish some funding to finance the Web site.”

SSAFA will also work toward providing art education for seven towns, including Abington, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Pembroke, Rockland and Whitman, Lathrop said.

“The most important thing is to find a permanent solution for our studios and also to create some educational facility in the same complex,” Lathrop said.

“The closest places we have are between Route 3 and the ocean. We have nothing in our immediate area to teach art and school districts are dropping art programs left and right.

“I’m hoping for a good turnout,” Lathrop added. “We're going to give a quick overview of what has gone on, and what our goals are. Hopefully we’re going to begin to establish a board for this group.”

Lathrop said he has received feedback from a letter about the SSAFA that was published in last week’s Rockland Standard, he said, including one person who is interested in becoming a board member. Lathrop also used the Artist Foundation Web site to circulate information about SSAFA.

“In the first 24 hours I got 10 emails and I’ve gotten phone calls from all over the place, most of the time from people saying they have studio space available,” Lathrop said. 

Lathrop said he has received numerous offers from facility owners in Lowell, Lawrence, New Bedford and Fall River.

There have been a few responses from local building owners and Lathrop said they are looking into them.

“On a daily basis there’s new destruction being done,” Correia said. “Artists are in transition. They’re either looking for spaces or have found places.

From what I’ve heard, most of the artists have already moved and the rest will be leaving before the winter. We’ve been told that they’re not going to give us a direct timeline for eviction. The only deadline we’re going against is the rumor they’re not going to be buying oil for heat. It looks like we’re definitely out of there before it gets much cooler.

Meanwhile the SSAFA is struggling to find funding, a location for a building, and have renovations done to it before it gets cold, Correia said. 

“All of these things make it look unreasonable to (buy a group facility) before November,” he said. “I think we’re all scrambling to cover ourselves in the event that (Fourth Floor Artists) can’t stay together as a whole. 

We’ve tried to move in to a few buildings, but it doesn’t look reasonable we’d be able to get funding in such a short deadline.