Psst… Wilmington, wanna turn your declining fortunes around? David Byrne has something for you
While throwing money at the banking sector and big pharama haven’t worked out – there is a business sector that can (very cheaply) drag Wilmington into a new golden age. David Byrne has what Wilmington needs.
Beloved artist, musician, and author David Byrne wrote a Guardian op-ed piece on the increasingly difficult cost of life in New York for pretty much everyone who isn’t rich, and what that means for creative people:
This real estate situation – a topic New Yorkers love to complain about over dinner – doesn’t help the future health of the city. If young, emerging talent of all types can’t find a foothold in this city, then it will be a city closer to Hong Kong or Abu Dhabi than to the rich fertile place it has historically been. Those places might have museums, but they don’t have culture. Ugh. If New York goes there – more than it already has – I’m leaving. But where will I go? Join the expat hipsters upstate in Hudson? Can New York change its trajectory a little bit, become more inclusive and financially egalitarian? Is that possible? I think it is.
If the 1% stifles New York’s creative talent, I’m out of here [theguardian.com]
There are plans in the works to attract and cultivate creative folks in Wilmington and offer them affordable housing not on Market, but not far off. Kind of between Market, Quaker Hill and West Center City.
Look, I’m not a disinterested party. So take this with however many grains of salt you choose, but I object to entire premise of the post. Who said Wilmington is in the decline? I went out Friday night. Took the bus from Forty Acres. Ate at Pochi on 9th Street. Then took in some art on Market Street and had a shot at Cavanaugh’s. Walked down and had coffee and dessert at La Fia – which was completely booked (got a spot outside by sheer luck). Then went to Nomad to listen to a very tight jazz band. Took a taxi home from the Hotel DuPont for $8.
Now I believe Friday was the Art Loop. However, I’m out in the city everyday. Now that DCAD is back in the place is awash with young artistic people.
I saw Graham Nash at the Grand last week. Several great restaurants have opened on market street on nearby as well as in Trolley Square… Satsuma, Cantina di Napoli (same chef as the old Pomodoro), Scrumptious Frozen Yogurt…
I attended a charity event two weeks ago at the Delaware Center for the Contmeporary Arts. That’s a cool spot.
The Queen just announced a series of pop shows (not really my bag, but…) They Might Be Giants, Gin Blossoms, Vanilla Fudge, Plain White Ts…
Hummingbird to Mars has live music 3 nights a week…
There’s amateur comedy at Extreme Pizza… which is funny for not being funny…
This story of Wilmington’s cultural demise is baseless.
We have an indie theatre for fuck’s sake. Foreign film at Theatre N… what more do you people want!! 🙂
In alot of ways, this post is meant to follow up on the discussion here from the weekend.
Market St and the Riverfront and Trolley Square are doing fairly well — and the Market St. corridor is really working hard at being a great destination. There is, however, more to the city that these places. And if you were to look at just property values across the city you could see the tenuous shape the city is in. Because Wilmington doesn’t have a long term future if only Market St and the Riverfront are thriving. And really, these two areas can’t genuinely thrive in some long term fashion without the boats across the city raising.
There isn’t a claim on the table that there is a cultural demise in Wilmington.