Mid City Merchants

Mid City Merchants will be having their annual fall art hop, WHITE LIGHT NIGHT, on Friday, November 19, 2010 from 6 to 10 p.m.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mid City Merchants are a group of civic-minded business owners and organizations, a majority of which are locally owned.  MCM contributes to the landscaping and maintenance of medians in Mid City, maintains a scholarship fund for Baton Rouge Community College, monitors zoning, sign and blight issues, holds political candidate debates and supports the art community.  Mid City is Baton Rouge’s most unique arts, design and shopping district and, as of March 2010, has been designated a Cultural District by the State of Louisiana.  A portion of the proceeds from MCM’s bi-annual art hops goes toward the purchase of public art in Mid City.  Mid City is truly the heart and soul of Baton Rouge.

EXHIBITION DESCRIPTION

Exhibit your original art in one of the participating Mid City Merchant members’ locations for WHITE LIGHT NIGHT, Friday, November 19, 2010.

ELIGIBILITY

Local artists from the Baton Rouge area.

IMPORTANT DATES

Submission deadline:
Images emailed to nancyjeandesigns@yahoo.com by September 10, 2010.   All artists must abide by this date to be listed in the press releases.  Please include your contact information with images of your art.

Notification by email of acceptance: September 30th, 2010
Notification and verification of merchant /artist placement by: October 10th, 2010
Delivery of Artwork: Thursday, November 18th, 11:00 am
WHITE LIGHT NIGHT Art Hop: Friday, November 19, 6 to 10 p.m.

REQUIREMENTS

Artists wishing to be considered for display at WHITE LIGHT NIGHT must submit images by email to: nancyjeandesigns@yahoo.com by September 10, 2010.

All artists must be present during the WHITE LIGHT NIGHT event at the merchant venue where placed.

SUPPORT MATERIALS

You may be required to provide your own easels or your own display materials.

INSTALLATION

You may be required to install your own artwork for display.

ARTIST ASSISTANCE

You will be required to spread the word of mouth or hand out flyers to friends and family.

You may be required to pay partial payment of refreshment cost or advertising expense.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Nancy Jean Tuten
(225)  235 -1504
nancyjeandesigns@yahoo.com

As fall sets in and the winter season approaches, Baton Rouge livens with increasing excitement as the holidays roll in. This year, the Mid City Merchants will host its premier event, yet again – as expectations for the 2010 White Light Night Art Hop continue to rise. This year’s event will bring thousands to the heart of Baton Rouge for an evening to view local art trends, meet the artists, and jumpstart the holiday season with the fire that only local culture can bring.

White lights have sparkled in Mid City since 1998 and on Friday, November 19, 2010, we expect the finest display ever! The public is invited to view and purchase art in over 30 participating businesses and experience shopping, entertainment, food, and wine. Hop on a shuttle, carpool with friends, or stroll down Government Street from one great art opening to another while enjoying the lights and the excitement. And remember- original art is sales tax free in Mid City!

Last year’s art hop participants included Aladdin’s Lamp Antiques, Arnold & Associates Interiors; Bee Hive & LadyBugs & Dragonflys; The Beverage Store; Bible and Book Center; Bistro Byronz; Bloom; Caffery Gallery; Chef Don Bergeron Enterprises; The Child Development Cooperative; Circa 1857; Coleman Partners Architects; Corks N Canvas; Elizabethan Gallery; Esom Gallery; Fred Heroman’s Florist; Gallery Bohemia; LES Federal Credit Union; Louisiana Office Supply; Margaret Heffron, CPA; Monjunis Italian Café & Grocery; Mosaic Garden; Ragland, Aderman & Associates; Ragusa’s Automotive; Rotolo’s Pizzeria; Rue Cou Cou; Sabai Jewelry Gallery;  Superior Grill; Tipton and Associates; and Victoria’s Toy Station.

A list of participating businesses, names of featured artists, a map of the area, and promotional photos will be available soon on the Mid City Merchants website, www.midcitymerchants.org.

Please contact Liz Walker at (225) 924-6437 for additional information or if you would like to feature a participating businesses for an article, as a guest on your show or at a meeting. Sponsorship information for this event is available upon request.

Mid City Community Meeting
Thursday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m.
Nazarene Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 1707 Spanish Town Road

This meeting will highlight projects in various stages of development in the Mid City area. Participants will have a chance to see renderings, hear ideas being considered, and provide input on area needs not addressed by this current list of projects.  Some of the development representatives will be on hand to answer questions. MCRA will collect community feedback and incorporate this input into its ongoing community improvement activities aimed at improving the quality of life for all residents and businesses in the Mid City region.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Gulf Coast Housing Partnership is submitting a funding application to the Louisiana Recovery Authority for construction funds under its Affordable Rental Program for a townhouse development on vacant property located at the intersections of N. 19th and North Streets to N.19th and Gayosa Streets. This will be an opportunity to solicit public input and comments on community needs.

The 2010 Hot Art, Cool Nights Merchant Information Sheet and Sign Up Form is now available here.  Also, be sure to visit the 2010 Hot Art, Cool Nights page, the Merchant Sign Up page and the Participating Businesses and Artists .

DATE: Friday, May 7, 2010
TIME: 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
COST: FREE

Hot Art, Cool Nights, the annual spring art hop organized by the MCM, is scheduled for Friday, May 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Mid City Art and Design District. This event, as always, is free and open to the public. All current members of the MCM are eligible to participate in this evening art event that brings thousands of people into the Mid City area. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and businesses interested in participating in Hot Art, Cool Nights can contact Liz Walker at (225) 924-6437 or visit our Merchant Sign-up section for details.

Come join us for a reception to celebrate the new Mid City Cultural District on Tuesday, March 16, 5:30 p.m. at Bistro Byronz, 5412 Government Street.

Stay to dine and Bistro Byronz will donate 20% of your ticket (or 10% of to-go orders) to Mid City Redevelopment Alliance to promote the Mid City Cultural District!

The next meeting of the Mid City Merchants Board is scheduled for Thursday, March 4 at 9 a.m. at Circa 1857, 1857 Government Street.

MCM Board 2010

Carrie Broussard, Mid City Redevelopment Alliance

Coleman Brown, Coleman Brown Architects

Geno Brown, Brown and Brown Custom Clothiers

Jay Bruno, Yvette Marie’s Café and Bonanno’s Fine Catering

Laurie Chapple, Louisiana Office Supply

Bradley Ebersole, Baton Rouge Community College

Marguerite Gresham, The Child Development Cooperative

Jennifer Hall, Tipton Associates

Dennis Hargroder, Circa 1857

Cherry Jochum, Klasco Services

Robert Pettit, Waters and Pettit Commercial Real Estate

Liz Walker, Elizabethan Gallery

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) – Greater Baton Rouge Chapter, has named Don Bergeron, owner of Chef Don Bergeron Enterprises and Mid-City Market in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the 2009 Chef of the Year. The announcement was made by ACF-Baton Rouge Chapter President Chef Ron Sonnier, at the ACF-BR Chef of the Year Awards banquet on February 22, at White Oak Plantation.

“Chef Don Bergeron is an outstanding culinarian, and has generously served the Baton Rouge Chapter of the ACF as Vice-President for the last two years and represented the entire food industry during his career. It is my pleasure to recognize him for his many contributions naming him 2009 Chef of the Year ” said Sonnier.

Upon presentation of the award, Bergeron, an active member of the ACF for 3 years, said, “I am humbled and honored to receive this prestigious award from my peers. I look forward to growing our local chapter of the ACF and welcoming other culinarians into an industry that is so vital to our economy.” He is owner of Chef Don Bergeron Enterprises, a catering and event planning company, and Mid-City Market, a retail market featuring prepared cuisine to go and hot plate lunches and dinners.

About the American Culinary Federation (ACF)
Founded in 1929, the American Culinary Federation is the largest and most prestigious chefs’ organization in the United States. ACF’s goal is to make a positive difference for culinarians internationally through education, apprenticeship, and certification, while creating a fraternal bond of respect and integrity among culinarians everywhere. The Greater Baton Rouge Chapter is a member of the national American Culinary Federation and was founded in 1974. ACF offers educational programs and opportunities for both the culinary student and professional culinarian.

We are very excited to announce that Mid City was recently certified by the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism as a Cultural District! Mid City Redevelopment Alliance has been working with an advisory committee comprised of Mid City residents and business owners since February 2009 to create the Mid City Cultural District. The program provides an exemption from sales and use taxes for proceeds received from the sale of original, one-of-a-kind works of art from locations within the Cultural District.

If you sell original, one-of-a-kind art in Mid City, you need to attend this informational meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, February 23! The sales tax exemption for original works of art is effective in Mid City on March 1!

Mark your calendars!
Mid City Cultural District informational meeting
Tuesday, February 23 at 6 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Academy, Mother Alice Hall, 3080 Kleinert Avenue

For more information, please contact Carrie Broussard with Mid City Redevelopment Alliance at (225) 346-1000 or carrie.broussard@brgeneral.org.

For more information about the Louisiana Cultural District Program, visit http://www.crt.state.la.us/culturaldistricts/