ARTS COUNCIL ADDS TO DOWNTOWN'S LUSTER

Downtown Cape Girardeau along the riverfront is a beehive of retailing enterprise, despite the fact that many of the city's shops and stores have moved west over the years. But the Downtown area has been enterprising over those same years. Shops, antique malls and restaurants and art galleries have kept the area alive and well. Now there is another fine addition to the Downtown mix: the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

The Arts Council, which has been busy in the community for years -- it is one of the most active arts organizations in the state -- has had a variety of homes, most of which were not the best locations for displaying art. But the new home, at the southeast corner of Spanish and Independence streets, was designed by Cape Girardeau artist and architect John Boardman to be gallery space, a wonderful use for yet another Downtown building.

In its new home, the Arts Council will not only have proper space for its Gallery 100 exhibits, it also will be able to add another gallery to be called the Lorimier Gallery in honor of the man recognized as the city's founder. This new gallery will be dedicated to the works of Missouri artists, particularly those who specialize in folk arts and crafts.

In recent months under the direction of executive director Greg Jones, the Arts Council has expanded its hours to include weekends and is planning to be open Friday and Saturday nights as well.

For the many area residents who haven't seen a Gallery 100 exhibit or haven't been involved in the Arts Council, now would be a good time for a trip Downtown.