River Laker has taken on a bit of a lower profile these days since leaving his development position with Roanoke City libraries. Laker had programmed events for the library system, most notably the emerging artist series at the main branch on Jefferson Street. He then started a public relations firm with several other people (Silver Seas PR) and began to promote newer creative types of all stripes.
Now he has another venue where emerging artists can appear – and it is named after him. The man that many know as “The Carless Brit” – he sold his vehicle on a whim some years ago and gets around by bicycle – now can use the River Laker Cultural Center at 16 West Church Avenue. Basically the Cultural Center is the lobby of the 16 West building owned by John Garland, the retired president of Spectrum Design.
Garland used to go to 16 West when it was an S&W Cafeteria. “My older sister would take me down there,” he recalls. He had a vision when the property came up for sale: “I saw a great historic old building with lots of space that could be turned into a community-slash-cultural center. It could be a number of things to serve downtown residents.” 16 West opened last year and has gradually filled in with several tenants on the ground floor, including the S&W Market, named in honor of the former cafeteria.
The apartments “stay rented” without fail according to Garland, who used state and federal tax credits to pay for renovation. “It’s a driver for downtown development,” said Garland about tax credits available to renovate older buildings. The space now designated as the River Laker Cultural Center is now employed as a gathering area for those at the coffee shop, but Garland calls it “relatively unused . . . I saw that it had potential to be used for the community … a place where we could do alternative type events. A place to bring artists together.” Garland said retail tenants at 16 West are “very excited” about events that should draw more people into the building.
That space is available for free when the proposed event is compatible with Garland’s concept. “River is helping me achieve those goals [with the Cultural Center],” said Garland.
Laker was honored by having the space named after him but calls it “a little bit bizarre too. I have to type in River Laker Cultural Center for each event.”
Events planned by Laker so far for the Cultural Center include a Jazz and Blues Night (fourth Tuesday of the month, 6-9pm), PechaKucha (informal creative gatherings where each participant has about six minutes on stage) every other month on the last Wednesday, Kid Time! For 8-year-olds-and-under every Saturday morning and dances on a monthly basis. First up is an “urban barn dance” on July 30 (6-9 pm).
The Salsa Noke club will also be meeting and dancing at the 16 West Marketplace, which is how the lobby area is also billed. Upstairs at 16 West are the eight apartments that Garland said are always in demand and a fitness center. Already ongoing are the popular TED Talks & Discussion sessions every Wednesday from 12-1 pm. Laker has added another TED session the first Wednesday night of every month from 6-7:30 pm.
Also underway is Music to Draw To, with live DJ music, the first Tuesday of every month (6-9 pm). Laker encourages people to bring sketchpads, notebooks, laptops or even knitting yarn, “getting down to some solid work in the company of other creatives.” More events are planned soon, see 16westmarketplace.com for information.
There is room for several more tenants at stalls on the ground floor but 16 West already features the Little Green Hive coffee shop, the recently opened Cork & Crust restaurant, an educational retail shop and an art gallery. Laker said his goal with the Cultural Center is “to present things that people may not have experienced or expected [before].” They may come out for that new experience and walk away saying, “Wow, this is pretty good,” according to Laker. Fans of the Emerging Artist series Laker formerly programmed at the library know what that feeling is all about.
By Gene Marrano
