Vendors asked to move for art walk

Street vendors and artists will be asked to move north to Occidental Park for July's First Thursday art walk, under a tentative agreement reached yesterday by the city, some Pioneer Square gallery owners and the neighborhood's community association.

"The city is not prepared to come out with a big enforcement stick (in July). ... We're not prepared to lift anybody up by their arms," and drag street vendors and artists away, said Kris Effertz, Mayor Greg Nickels' business advocate. "We're hoping they will work with us."

A few gallery owners initiated the meeting, saying that the increasing numbers of vendors and artists selling wares in the street are restricting access to the galleries. They also say the street-market atmosphere outside is detracting from the original purpose of First Thursday: to showcase legitimate emerging artists.

Street vendors and artists say they are an integral part of the event and that the galleries should appreciate any extra potential customers.

After gallery owners started First Thursday about 25 years ago, a few independent artists began showing their work in the plaza just outside the galleries. But the number of street artists and vendors has tripled or quadrupled in the past five years to 100 or more.

Seattle's vending ordinances prohibit selling goods in public without a permit but until now the vendors and artists had been allowed to set up for free, without permits. Craig Montgomery, executive director of the Pioneer Square Community Association (PSCA), and Effertz said they want to avoid the hassle of requiring individual permits. Montgomery said he is hopeful the vendors and artists can receive some type of "fast-track permitting," perhaps an easy, special-use pass or a waiver of fees altogether for the First Thursday events.

That "would give an incentive to independent artists and the vendors to participate in a more controlled environment," Montgomery said.

Montgomery also said the PSCA would like the vendors to better use Occidental Park, which is just north of the galleries.

"An art event like this could begin to serve that purpose," Montgomery said.

Michael Ko: 206-515-5653 or mko@seattletimes.com