by Paul Cerna
Victor Hugo once said “There’s nothing more powerful than a good idea whose time has come.” How true. You can say the old firehouse on Alexander Road often voiced the notion to people passing by to convert it into an arts center for West Windsor. Many heard this calling especially when the DOT produced an Alexander Road bridge-realignment plan in 2001. That would have leveled the firehouse, the Crawford Woods and many homes along Alexander Road. The arts center is not only a conversion of the firehouse, it helped save the historic building and homes from the bridge-mania of 2001.
I saw the potential and presented it to town council and approached a mayoral candidate, Shing-Fu Hsueh to embrace the concept. He was jazzed. A visual artist himself he too heard the call. The concept fortuitously dovetailed his broader community vision in his successful election campaign. To empower the community he established The Mayor’s Arts Center Formation Task Force, appointing me its president. Stunningly, with one press-notice 23 eager people attended what began the visioneering for an artful firehouse-makeover. Thus began the grassroots movement to convert the historic firehouse into an arts center.
The first meeting was aptly held in the firehouse in June of 2001 over freshly-cut vegetables. It was in The Great Room on its beautiful maple floors and below the very water-damaged drop ceiling. However, the place was declared unsafe for public use thereafter. The second arts council meeting in the firehouse was only a couple weeks ago, over nine years and 40,000 volunteer hours later. Our sweat persevered.
We met as a task force at least weekly the first year, then monthly for years in the home of Connie Tell and Jeff Nathanson, our first executive director.
We were cross-pollinating effervescent ideas, writing bylaws and planning strategically over popcorn and seltzer water. We wholeheartedly expected to gain access within 9 months instead of over 9 years later. We learned Robert’s Rules and their daughter Anya’s bedtime. We occasionally defined her wake-up time too with loud-talk at 11 p.m. Board members collaborated as artists and performed dance and music together in New York City. A new band, Haute Dawg, emerged and are still together. Board members wrote poetry as chain E-mail, adding one line per member per E-mail.
Growth has been a theme, a goal, and a fuel. A planning meeting to negotiate with Nassau Park Mall to produce concerts there demonstrated this. Nassau Park hadn’t fulfilled its contractual agreement to build a skating rink for West Windsor. Marvin Gardner with a pen-stroke of brilliance solved the dilemma of holding them accountable by negotiating they fund the up-and-coming West Windsor Arts Council in exchange for programming at the mall. Board members first asserted we propose a $300 annual budget. Our event production professional, David Haneman, patiently took us up a sharp learning curve as a self-described “meeting tyrant.” Two hours later the same people were adamant we accept no less than $40,000 annually. The production and operating budget contribution added up to $45,000 — more like Gardner’s intent. We were funded for perpetuity plus a new venue! Go Gardner! We were very quick studies.
We also learned and taught that the road to quality programming is paved with the principle of always paying artists equitably for their work. Just look to our programming quality to see what I mean. We produced our first program, Summer Solstice Poetry 1, in June of 2002. It was an exhilarating drama of catharsis and fruition and drew an audience of 45 at Capuano’s.
Two weeks later the task force was dissolved and the 11 founding board members voted the West Windsor Arts Council into existence at Ted Ross’ and Heidi Kleinman’s dining room table. Aside from myself the 11 founders include Carol Schepps, Julie Myers, Jeff Nathanson, Connie Tell, Liz Madden-Zibman, Dan Zibman, Marie Alonzo-Snyder, Dale Roylance, Heidi Kleinman, and Elane Gutterman.
The lack of a home had an interim advantage because it forged varied partnerships to host WWAC events. Events were held in warehouses, the West Windsor Senior Center, the West Windsor Library, D&R Greenway’s space, the Farmers’ Market, McCaffrey’s, Hillier Architects’ office, school theaters, Princeton Dance and Theater Studio, and a private barn, among others. A rock concert was held on the front lawn of the municipal buildings.
Our events have always been our celebrations of success. Programs are their own rituals of reward and the biggest celebration is our grand opening block party on Saturday, September 25. What a journey it continues to be!
