Art Moves works on the premise that if you can’t bring the people to the art, then bring the art to the people.
Every afternoon for an hour, usually from noon to 1 p.m., the Arts Council travels around Oklahoma City to put on art events with artists, musicians or dancers.
The idea for the program came from one of the council directors, who worked on a similar lunch program before coming to Oklahoma City.
Angela Hodgkinson, Art Moves director, said the program, which started in early October, is slowly building up a loyal following.
“There’s a handful of people that have our schedule and have been very enthusiastic about it,” Hodgkinson said.
Art Moves conducts lunch programs at places such as Leadership Square, the lobby of Chase Tower, Robinson Renaissance, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Individual Artists of Oklahoma gallery.
Featured art has included monologue recitals, weavers, singers, guitarists, a saxophonist and a hand-dyeing silk demonstration.
Just before Halloween, David Holland carved pumpkins for Art Moves to the sounds of an indie rock band at St. Anthony Hospital.
“I’m an artist and it’s a good way to get my name out, but also, I just really enjoy it,” Holland said. “Though it’s nice to get the exposure, because I kind of do this as a sideline for a living.”
Holland is one of the artists that found out about the program and contacted the Arts Council about getting involved. All artists are welcome to apply for a shot to showcase their lunchtime arts and can apply on the Arts Council’s website.
One of the reasons the program was created was to give member organizations of the Arts Council the opportunity to display their talents. The council has more than 50 member organizations and businesses that include a number of local art and nonprofit organizations.
“We’re really just trying to promote the member agencies we have and try to get them out in front of people,” Hodgkinson said.
She said she hopes for various musicians, along with at least two art demonstrations each week, so there is more variety.
The Arts Council hopes this program will increase donations to member organizations, said Emily Trotter, com munications director.
Trotter gave a hypothetical example of a quartet of musicians from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic inspiring a businessman on lunch break to buy season tickets to the Philharmonic.
The program will continue into the foreseeable future. The Arts Council hopes to expand to encompass more locations than just downtown Oklahoma City, Trotter said.
“We don’t have any limitations right now,” she said. “It is such a green project that we don’t know where it’s going to go in a year or five years or 10 years.”
