A Pop-Up, Co-Op “Art Shanty” Available For Week-Long Stints This Season In Fishtown

A heads-up to artists, makers, and craftspeople: Fishtown will be opening a pop-up shanty space where you can display and sell your creative work this summer.

Fishtown Preservation Executive Director Amanda Holmes explains the deal: “Fishtown Preservation provides the space and eager visitors — and you present your art, share your love of the area, find a new audience for your work, and get to be a part of the Fishtown community.”

This Fishtown experience is open for week-long stints from May 25 through mid-October.

The 432-square-foot Art Shanty is located on the lower level of the Ice House — facing the Leland River near the Carlson smokehouses — with a license fee of $500 per week. The space can be occupied by up to three artists or craftspeople at one time for the same one‐week fee, though each prospective occupant must apply.

Those interested should fill out an application and submit to info@fishtownmi.org with subject line “2021 Art Shanty Application.” The occupants will be selected on a first‐come first‐served basis following approval. Occupancies will begin on Tuesdays and end on the following Monday of each week.

Holmes tells the Leelanau Ticker, “What’s wonderful about the space is that it is a generous size (by Fishtown shanty standards). We’d thought about giving the space spots of color, but then realized that its white walls and age-worn concrete floor are the perfect backdrop for everything from paintings beautifully crafted wares.”

Fishtown Preservation will be including a few touches, including a vintage 1930s enamel topped kitchen work table, a counter space, shelving that can also be used as a “wall” for paintings. “Each person that has seen the space — we’re happy to show it to people — have their own ideas of how to make it their own. We’re excited to see all the different personalities play out, making each week a unique experience,” she adds.

“What really makes us happy is that the other businesses in Fishtown are excited about this, too. With last year’s high water and our shanty projects we’re in a bit of a transition, including that we plan to move our Welcome Center space [in the Ice House] once the site projects are done. We were considering leaving the space empty just for this year; that’s when we came up with the idea of a pop-up by the week, whether for individuals or those who may want to partner on a week.”

There are six artists scheduled to date: “Some of them worked in Fishtown as teenagers and now have their own creative enterprises going on, and are thrilled to have a little homecoming and to be an intimate part of Fishtown again,” shares Holmes.

For more information on the application, policies and guidelines for the Art Shanty opportunity, head here.