The Times

Wednesday, July 14, 1976 TIMES/GUIDE 13

Merchants: Upgrade SM art show

By EDWIN KNIGHT Staff Writer What is artistry and what is commercial craftwork? Members of the City of South Miami council are pondering this question in the wake of a controversy which has developed between South Miami merchants and the South Miami Area Chamber of Commerce over the city's annual art show. The result is likely to be that the show, held each November over a three-day weekend, will be vastly upgraded and become more sophisticated. In the past, the show apparently has been heavy on craftwork, which leads the powerful Red-Sunset Merchants Association to believe that the show is little more than a glorified flea market. After conferences with Chamber of Commerce officials over the quality of the show, the merchants association has brought the city into the fray by asking the city to deny the Chamber of Commerce a permit for the show until approval from merchants can be obtained. The request is in the form of a letter from Association President Charles Garber to City Manager Jack Present, a copy of which has gone to each member of the city council. Like spectators at a tennis match, the city's lawmakers are looking back and forth at the two opposed civic groups with raised eyebrows, hoping the differences can be worked out so that the city doesn't have to step in. "Don't get me wrong. We want the show, but we want the show upgraded and professionalized, like the Coconut Grove art show," pointed out Garber. County Judge C.P. (Dick) Lantz, president of the South Miami Area Chamber of Commerce, concedes that improvements are needed in the show, and points out that plans for these improvements already are underway. "I think the whole thing is a misunderstanding," said Judge Lantz. "The chamber and the merchants both want the same thing — what is best for South Miami. And the chamber plans to have a more artistic and sophisticated show this year. "But the chamber does want to retain sponsorship of the show." The show is intended to bring foot traffic to the city's Red-Sunset Drive area, where spectators can browse through the artistry and visit the merchants' shops. But merchants complain that the artists are obnoxious in blocking the entrances to the stores and parking their vehicles adjacent to their displays so that motorists find it difficult to find a place to park. In addition, merchants say that much of the artistry is little more than can be found at a flea market, and much of it is the same that is being sold within some stores. A strong majority of more than 80 members of the merchants association have signed a petition against continuing the art show without the improvements proposed by the association. "We are not criticizing," said Garber. "We want to help. But the Chamber wants to go it alone."

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