Looking Back at 2021

30 Dec Looking Back at 2021

 

The 2021 was a year filled with ups and down for all of us.
We went through a lot collectively; many people experienced loss, and many were faced with making life-changing decisions to focus more on their future, their health, their families and community.
Many people made big decisions that included closing their business, changing their careers or leaving a job to open a new dream business.

Here at Greenway Arts Alliance, we are very grateful for the community we have built through the Melrose Trading Post, Greenway Court Theatre and the Greenway Institute for the Arts over the last 24 years.
The people who gather in these spaces bring us hope, joy and the strength to move forward in such challenging times.

Enjoy this photo journey looking back at the community that got us through 2021!

The Greenway Institute for the Arts teaching artists moved to virtual after school classes, workshops and art therapy sessions early in 2021.  They were able to bring back in-person classes (with masks on!) in the Fall of 2021.

 

The Greenway Court Theatre put on virtual streaming events and a drive-up event while the beautiful theatre was closed to the public.  We all stretched ourselves and used our imaginations to create safe spaces for our community members to congregate and express themselves.

 

The Melrose Trading Post’s vendor community continues to show their resilience and dedication to growing their independent businesses throughout the pandemic.

 

As a non-profit organization, the staff at Greenway Arts Alliance builds a three year strategic plan to keep everyone focused on our goals in all three programs.   Our current 3 year plan was interrupted by closures in 2020, however some of our goals were fast forwarded by re-opening the market during the pandemic.  We went 95% paperless in our vendor booking systems, started selling advance tickets online, and started offering vendor services virtually that were previously only offered in-person.

This burst of changes brought MTP into the next phase of its existence, which is where we are today.

While change is hard, we are grateful for the end results, a happy community of vendors, plus more eco-friendly and efficient systems!

The entire layout of the market changed when we re-opened in August 2020. Masks were required until vaccines were widely available.  We initially re-opened without live music and food per CDC guidelines.  While it didn’t quite feel the same, it was a special place to visit and shop locally during a time when most other places were closed.

By the end of 2020, food trucks and prepackage food & beverages returned to the market.   It started feeling a little more like it used to feel.

2021 marked the return of live music at MTP!  In May 2021 we created the Garden Stage in the purple section of the market.  Once live music was allowed again, we started booking our favorite local musicians on the Garden Stage, and MTP started feeling like its pre-pandemic vibe.  In 2021 we booked 96 performances by local and traveling independent musicians on the Garden Stage!

2021 also marked the return of special events and community pop-ups.

We hosted 12 non-profit organizations and community groups, offering them 68 free spaces throughout the year.  One group we’ve been working with for many years is the Girl Scouts of America, who came back earlier in 2021 to sell their cookies – and they’ll be back in 2022!

Our special event pop-ups included a Blood Drive in partnership with Cedars Sinai and a Vaccination Pop-Up Clinic by Fulgent Genetics.

MTP also hosted a few promotional pop-up events with outside companies and musicians.  These pop-up events are a great fundraising opportunity for our organization, and they introduce MTP patrons to new music and products.

 

In 2021 we made new connections with community partners we hope to grow with.

Femmbeat brought their Afro-beat Dance Party to MTP twice in 2021, and we look forward to their return in 2022.

We met Kim Robinson of 3pts.co who leads the “Level-Up Your Business” Marketing Workshops on Zoom for our vendors’ business development throughout the year.  All of the workshops were recorded, and you can watch them all by clicking here to visit our Youtube Channel. We look forward to working with Kim in 2022!

 

Vendors also taught workshops in the market, creating unique, hands-on interactive learning experiences for market visitors.

 

Through it all, we brought back our tradition of finding the MTP Cutie Pies of the Day – where our intern finds the sweetest dogs in the market each Sunday and shares their photos on our social media channels.  #DogsofMTP

We also brought back our Outfits of the Day posts, featuring stylish patrons spotted in the market by our intern.  We’re constantly impressed by all you fashionable people who visit MTP!

In October we held our vendor Halloween Costume Contest.   You voted on our IG account, and Grace from I Am Muse and George Aponte of KAI Thrift tied for best costumes!

 

Fairfax Student Staff Members were able to return to work in 2021.  Students performed on the Garden Stage, had a historical costume fashion event, and sold items to fundraise for their school clubs. With the return of Fairfax Students, the market felt complete!

 

Meanwhile, in the local news, Greenway Arts Alliance’s co-founders Whitney and Pierson were featured on Good Day LA!

You can watch their interview here:  https://melrosetradingpost.org/good-day-la-2021/

 

In December we decided to take a leap into a new world… TikTok!

MTP’s TikTok is produced by our Student Intern and Fairfax Senior, Amber & our Social Media Associate and Fairfax Alumna, Cira.

Check out the MTP TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@melrosetradingpost

 

In closing, 2021 was a year of great change and growth for MTP and Greenway Arts Alliance.

Thank you for being a part of this community.

See you in 2022!  Happy New Year from Greenway Arts Alliance!