Underground artists could have new home

FAYETTEVILLE — On a recent weekday evening, a handful of artists sat around painter William Flanagan’s house deep in Fayetteville’s Washington-Willow Historic District.

They were eating popcorn and drinking wine while discussing the latest turn of events concerning the Fayetteville Art Alliance, a reincarnation of the Fayetteville Underground artists collective.

To recap: the 2-year-old group lost its lease in December on space it occupied on the lower level of East Square Plaza on the Fayetteville Square. Since then, the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotions Commission has tried unsuccessfully to buy the Old Post Office to lease to the artists. The 100-year-old historic landmark is at the center of the square.

The Fayetteville Art Alliance (doing business as the Fayetteville Underground) is now asking the A&P commission for a $60,000 grant to renovate and lease space in the downstairs lobby of a building owned by Gary McLendon at 101 W. Mountain St. The building is at corner of Block Avenue and Mountain Street, facing the square.

Those who met recently at Flanagan’s —  Sabine Schmidt, Martha Molina and Hank Kaminsky, among others — have been involved in the Fayetteville Underground since the beginning. Flanagan, who had a studio there, now has his works stashed around his house; some larger framed pieces are resting against an interior wall and covered in blankets.

He and the others are in limbo till they find a new home. McLendon’s building, more commonly known as the GMC building, suits their purposes, the artists say.

“We’ve looked at this building before,” said Kaminsky, whose name is on the grant application send to the Fayetteville A&P.

“[The] Fayetteville A&P leading the funding of the Fayetteville Underground and its home on the square is critical to ensuring  the city of Fayetteville continues to build its reputation as a visual arts destination,” he wrote in his application.

The former Fayetteville Underground’s old location around the corner seemed ideal. Below ground level at East Square Plaza, the Underground operated three galleries and 16 working artists’ studios and hosted a First Thursday art stroll and party that eventually took over the Fayetteville Square.

“We have a lot of experience in the art business — hundreds of years collectively,” said Kaminsky. “We know how to put on a show.”

First Thursdays are now conducted by the Fayetteville Visitors & Convention Bureau.

The commission will consider the Fayetteville Art Alliance’s grant request along with nearly two dozen others at its May meeting. Total requests come to more than $300,000, though it’s not yet known how much the commission will have available to dole out. The grant to the Fayetteville Art Alliance is the largest request among those on the list.

In the meantime, the group is in the process of applying for corporate status with the state and for 501(c)3 nonprofit status with the IRS.

Also, the commission continues to chase its plans for buying the post office building from ailing lawyer Ron Bumpass. After communications between Bumpass and the commission’s executive director, Marilyn Heifner, broke down in November, little’s been done toward purchase of the property. The last agreed-upon price was $1 million at the end of a one-year lease.

At its last meeting, the commission voted to turn all offers and appraisals over to lawyers who can hopefully reach Bumpass. After the commission advertised for legal help, the only firm that offered to champion the cause was Fayetteville’s Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor PLC.

When asked whether the post office purchase would eventually materialize, Heifner said, “It’s all up to Ronnie [Bumpass].”