Lawrence's diversity attracts artists to community

October 17, 2001 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lawrence is a town that stands on its own two feet when it comes to the arts. Visitors to Lawrence immediately fall in love with the resounding art and history of the city. Everywhere you wander, you discover art incorporated into everyday life. The city offers all of the cultural and historical opportunities that are offered in larger cities, yet retains the friendliness of a small town.

Without a doubt, Lawrence is a unique place. The city is rich with a vast array of citizens representing different nationalities, cultures and lifestyles. This is one of the aspects of Lawrence that attracts artists. In addition, Lawrence offers artists many venues for displaying and selling their art. Stephen Pite, a Lawrence artist and former president of the Lawrence Art Guild, claims that the low cost of living in the city helps artists afford art materials, rather than spending all their money on everyday living costs.

"For a small college town, Lawrence has tremendous diversity and tolerance for new ideas, support and personal growth," said Pite. "The city has interesting programming and very active museums that you normally would not find in a small town."

Art is what brought artist Marian O'Dwyer, owner of Lawrence's Phoenix Gallery, 919 Massachusetts St., to the community. O'Dwyer is originally from England and has lived in the U.S. for 25 years. She moved to the Lawrence area in 1983.
"Lawrence is a very young town, with a variety of arts, music and theater," said O'Dwyer. "The community is proud of its artists and local art institutions."

The National Endowment for the Arts ranks Lawrence 12th in the nation in percentage of artists in the workforce. Author, John Villani, named Lawrence as one of the top "100 Best Small Arts Towns in America" in his recent book on the subject. And, a 1997 issue of the Utne Reader identified Lawrence as one of the most enlightened communities in the country.

"Artists are very creative in Lawrence," said O'Dwyer. "The city is like an oasis, artists from all over the country always compliment the wonderful art galleries in Lawrence compared to other small art towns."