Village of the Arts for more than a decade has helped add a classic aesthetic to the revitalization of downtown Bradenton. Now that an economic recovery is in effect, community leaders are looking toward a future expansion of the village and figuring how the district can grow its boundaries while maintaining its core success.

The matter will be the subject of the next Manatee Tiger Bay Club meeting this Thursday, at Pier 22 at 11:15am, when city and artistic leaders will gather to discuss progress in the village. Bradenton Councilman Patrick Roff, for his part, sees no end in sight to the potential success of the Village of the Arts redevelopment. "I don't want a lid on how high we can go," he said. 

The Village, founded in 1999, now could be the heart of a new overlay district that allows both for specialized development—notably live-work space that allows artists to live legally in their studios and even put on gallery shows and conduct other business—within a specific area of downtown. The Village is located off 14th Street in Bradenton between 9th and 17th avenues.

"The intention is to bring the Village of the Arts to the next level of incredible," said Johnette Isham, executive director of Realize Bradenton. She said the Village at this point is one of the longest-standing artist communities within a city-sanctioned work district. 

Amara Cocilovo, Artists' Guild president, said the Village is considering how the sudden inclusion of many businesses unrelated to the arts will impact the district as a whole, but that brings opportunities as well. "We're seeing this as a positive opportunity," she said. 

But officials note that the discussion of the district's boundaries are a small part of discussion of any expansion. Under consideration are changes in signage rules that would allow wayfinding to be done in works of public art and efforts to improve lighting in the district to keep it welcoming for a longer stretch of hours.

Roff said the city has been looking to sell some public properties in the Village area. A few years ago the land was nearly purchased by Gorman and Company for use as artist lofts, but economic uncertainty ultimately scuttled that deal, Roff said. Now, the land seems ripe for development, and could host a loft project similar to the one envisioned in the past.

That happens as the city brightens the bulbs in the existing classic light posts and considers allowing the painting of those posts and other city infrastructure. 

Of course the city doesn't want to lose any charm in the district. Isham said officials are taking efforts to ensure gentrification of the district is avoided and that the region remains home to an economically and ethnically diverse population. "We certainly want to retain the creative energy and the diversity of viewpoints within a relative community," she said. "We want to just make the business aspects of the Village of the Arts stronger while we retain the residents."

Cocilovo said a number of measures being taken should make sure it remains cost-effective for artists to live in the Village. "Some of the projects on the horizon include affordable housing and even doing communal gallery space to keep the costs of being an artist living in the village down," she said.