Show of Support

Sunday June 10 we held an Opening Reception for the new artist showing at the Footprint Gallery. The gallery also doubles as the canvas offices. When we planned the event we didn’t realize the Long Island Gay Pride Parade was being held up the street the same day. Although we were all aware of the parade and knew the date, we never made the mental connection about how it would impact our event.

Unfortunately our reception and the parade also began at the same time and, as we surveyed an empty room, we started to receive calls from hopeful reception attendees saying they could not get near the gallery, that the streets were closed and they were stuck in traffic. Knowing we couldn’t have a no-show reception, we improvised; printing out flyers for the gallery, running up the street and distributing them to parade attendees. We adopted guerilla marketing techniques, creatively soliciting attendees to visit the gallery.

As my business partner Matt and I shifted gears, we tried different ways of engaging those we met and sharing the benefits of visiting the gallery. The result was the gallery filled up, we made some new canvas friends, and were able to introduce the magazine to folks who did not know us already. People came, reviewed artist Taylour Mishel’s work, enjoyed a refreshment graciously provided by Whole Foods Market and spent some time with our publication.

Monday morning, as we debriefed, Matt shared that one of the people he met asked if the magazine (canvas), supports them (the gay and lesbian community). I found this question interesting and came back to it throughout the day. At first, I couldn’t put my finger on why the question kept popping into my head but then it finally dawned on me.

I guess the question sticks with me because we have operated canvas with the utmost integrity and openness to Long Island’s cultural diversity. Yet time and time again we are asked this same question a number of different ways about a number of different things. In this case, I doubt the person was familiar with the magazine because to people who are familiar with the magazine I think the answer should have been self evident.

The nature of the question in and by itself requires further explanation. June marks one year of operation for us and during that year we have been told how we “need to support” one group or another, all of whom shall remain nameless. At other times we’ve been questioned about those “we supported” through an article mention or event listing. In other cases we’ve been offered payment for support or have been solicited for payment in return for support.

It amazes me how common this behavior around the question of support is. Yet every one says that they want non-biased media with journalistic integrity. It makes me ask myself—and them—whether that belief only holds when it applies to others? Frequently we are told that we are an anomaly and generally we are told how others show their support. If what is shared is 50% truthful, it is frightening how the word support is applied by media on Long Island. When we began this journey one of our strongest beliefs was the need to have journalistic integrity. That our readers would see right through anything other than that. At the time one of our canvas friends told us we might be surprised on much pressure we would face to sacrifice our integrity. Although it may have adversely impacted our ability to grow sales, I am proud to say, we have not sacrificed our integrity.

So, to answer the question Matt was asked, our integrity and openness are demonstrative of our support of the diverse culture we have here on Long Island. Our refusal–even as a start-up business hungry to grow revenue– to do it through loss of our integrity is another way we have shown our support. To all those who have asked or will ask us to show our support we hope you won’t mind if we just point you to this blog post.

Tom Pellicane – Publisher canvas Magazine