Snowball Rolling Down Fourth St.

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One of the many cool things my brother is doing at his gallery is hosting events for underprivledged youths, to get them into art as an alternative to a lot of the other less than appealing choices we have here in Waterloo. He also hosted a gathering of local artists Thursday night, and about 40 people showed up to explore the idea of the artistic community in Waterloo. I was impressed just by the turnout, but I was really taken with the idea that some people have of Waterloo as a new haven for artists. The traditional places in larger cities where artists tended to cluster in the past have all evaporated due to gentrification, development, etc., and where do you go? Personally I've spent the last couple years of my life wanting to get out of here to some oasis of culture, and now I see there could be one here. The big theme at the gathering was that if there's going to be a culture in Waterloo we can all be proud of, we all have to do our part in making it happen. Otherwise, stop complaining, or leave. I plan to do my part.

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