Another ArtCrank for Bend?

What follows is an email interview with Charles Youel, Curator/Creator of ArtCrank, a show of bicycle-inspired poster artwork that made its appearance in Bend in connection with the 2010 Cyclocross Nationals and accompanying bike festival of events.

2010 ArtCrank Poster
by Dana MacKenzie
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Bike Around Bend (BaB): How did the Bend show go? How many sales (numbers) and how much was sold? Was the Bend show a success?
Youel: I thought Bend went well for a first-year show. Most of our other shows are stand-alone events, so I didn’t know how things would go in terms of holding ARTCRANK in the middle of Cyclocross Nationals. I think it helped that bikes were on everyone’s mind that weekend, but I also think that there was a little velo-overload going on. There were so many cool cycling-themed events on the night of the show — stuff that I would’ve wanted to go to if I wasn’t holding my own shindig. In terms of sales, we finished with just under 200 posters sold in one night. Again, pretty typical for a first-year show, especially as a one-night event. Was it a success? We introduced people to some great local artists, everyone who came had a great time, and Deschutes Brewery helped us raise money for Bikes To Rwanda. So I’d call that a success. Would I like to have more people show up and sell more posters at our next show? Absolutely.

BaB: How did Bend get onto ARTCRANK’s radar screen for a 2010 show?
Youel:All of the credit for that goes to Cassondra Schindler. She first contacted me in the months leading up to the 2009 Cyclocross Nationals about doing a show. ARTCRANK is a pretty lean operation, so it takes us about six months to set up an event in a new market. We didn’t have enough time to pull off a show that year, but I was intrigued. And more importantly, Cassondra was persistent. I think she got back to me the day after the 2009 nationals ended to start planning. Telling the whole story would take way too long, but it’s not much of a stretch to say that Cassondra basically willed ARTCRANK Bend into being. Give me half a dozen of her and I could take over the world.
Editor’s Note: This might explain why she’s been nominated for a Big Chainring award.

BaB: How do you go about connecting with the local artists for the show?
Youel: Cassondra gave me a lot of recommendations. And I knew Dana MacKenzie from our Portland show, so he helped me connect with some people. In general, the creative communities in most cities are pretty tight-knit, and we rely on that network to help us bring people into the show — especially in new locations. Basically, we say “You know who the talented artists and designers around here are. Tell us who we should be talking to.” It can be an arduous and time-consuming process, but it’s the best way we know to connect with the right people.

BaB: Anything noteworthy happen at the show you’d like to share?
Youel: I’m probably the worst person to ask about that. It’s hard for me to take in what happens at a typical event, because I’m so wrapped up in making it happen: talking to people about what they think of the work, making sure everything’s going the way it’s supposed to – you know, over-thinking things. I know that we had some great street theater take place right outside the show, but only because I saw the video on YouTube after the show. Seriously, if it weren’t for photos and video, I’d have no idea what happens at any of our shows.

BaB: Bend some big bike events scheduled for 2011, any chance ARTCRANK will hit Bend in 2011 or 2012? What would it take to bring ARTCRANK back to our sleepy town?

Youel: I’d love to find a way to get back in 2011. With the time and materials we invest in establishing a show in a new location, it doesn’t make sense to do one-off shows. If we can find a way to make it work from a schedule and sponsorship standpoint, we’ll be back.

BaB: What was the inspiration behind ARTCRANK? What plans do you have for growing or changing ARTCRANK going forward?
Youel: For me, it starts with a love for bicycles that goes back for as long as I can remember. Shortly after the training wheels came off, I was building jumps in the front yard. After getting away from cycling during college, I rediscovered it after I graduated and started working in advertising. All of the people I rode bikes with had day jobs as artists and designers. The inspiration behind ARTCRANK was basically, “Let’s find a way to channel our passion for bikes and design into something that has nothing to do with work.” As far as growing and changing ARTCRANK, we’ve only been doing shows outside of Minneapolis since 2009, so we’re still figuring out the model as we go. And honestly, going from one show to eight in less than two years was maybe a little too much. We’ve gotten a lot more conservative about adding shows, at least until we have a more sustainable financial model to work with. Exciting, huh?

BaB: Might the Halloween events in Bend bring ARTCRANK back this year?
Youel: We’ll have to see how things play out. Halloween is usually the time we’re down in San Francisco for our show there. One of the great things about the states on the west coast is that November and December are pretty mild, weather-wise — at least compared to Minneapolis. So it’d be cool to do something late in the year. We’re anxious to build on what we started in 2010, and I hope we can come back.

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