Since 2004, this pink website has been your independent, upstart source for news, reviews, and dialogue on contemporary work. We’ve published 125 issues, covered hundreds of exhibitions, and offered artists and patrons insight into the minds of the individuals shaping the contemporary state of the arts in New England.
On the web, it's easy to be focused on the immediate, and forget the larger context. When looking at though the archives this past week, I was amazed and the amount of content we have accumulated since 2004. You can see how trends have changed in comparison for now. When we started, we believed that this area was worthy of coverage, and that New England was, indeed, culturally engaged.
With six years now behind us, I now can say that I not only believe it (which emotional), but know it (which is fact), and the archives illustrate this fact. This coverage, though, is incomplete and doesn't begin to scratch the surface of what has been going on here since 2004. Rather than spending my time lamenting this fact, I want to focus on the aspect that if we did nothing else, we have proved New England's worth though this documentation. This has been achieved solely though the efforts of volunteers - individuals from all disciplines who wrote about art because they were invested in being a part of the art community. Greg Cook recently led a call for a change in perspective on our local attitudes and our ambitions for our art economy. I want to second this proposal and begin a new decade with an updated investment in Big RED's stake in the overall community.
We’re starting 2010 with renewed focus and commitment to spotlighting the best in alternative spaces and contemporary work around town and beyond. We'll be bringing you more coverage from new contributors as well as from our current, dedicated writers.
To support these changes and allow Big RED to continue to bring you our best in arts criticism and commentary, we need your support. Show that you believe in independent, non-profit arts journalism by sending us a birthday present in the form of a tax-deductible donation. Your gift is significantly appreciated and will go towards our goal to bringing you diverse voices, comprehensive resources, and listings for artists and galleries.
Remnants of the first issue, housed in the final version of our last template.
The big 6 is courtesy Wikipedia Commons.
