Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Anthony.
Hi Alexandra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My name is Alexandra Anthony, and I am the Creative Events Manager at The Mansion 731. Additionally, I serve as the OTE Art Walk Director that partners with businesses in Olde Towne East to throw an Art Walk event once a month from May-November. The OTE Art Walk features over 80 local artists and makers and the businesses along Parsons Ave from Bryden Rd to Broad St. The building I manage, The Mansion 731, is one of the main stops on the OTE Art Walk map, and has a variety of events happening like live music, live painting, market vendors, food trucks, indoor galleries, poetry readings and more!
The Mansion 731 is a creative hub for local artists. Inside the historic mansion, built-in 1890, are a variety of studios and creative spaces that inspire art. Each month, The Mansion 731 hosts a new, emerging artist solo exhibition inside of our gallery spaces on the 1st and 3rd floors. We also participate in the monthly Art Walk and have a variety of creative events for art lovers to engage in every month. For example, we have a SoFar Sounds show coming up on June 11th!
The Mansion 731 is currently partnering with All People Arts to bring more artist resources and workshops to our community. Many of these workshops and events will be hosted in our shared spaces inside The Mansion 731.
Before becoming an artist hub, the mansion at 731 E Broad st was rented to different businesses like law firms. My goal when presented with this opportunity to manage the building was to create a space that showcased all the amazing local talent we have on the east side of Columbus.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am fortunate enough to work closely with the owners of the building. They are very supportive of the work myself and our staff does, and we have complete creative freedom to make The Mansion 731 something really special for our creative community. To be honest, working with local artists and coming up with new, creative ideas that benefit our city has been one of the greatest joys of my life so far. I wouldn’t want to be doing any other type of work! This project at The Mansion 731 and the OTE Art Walk is so special to me and close to my heart. I’ve put my all into it and will continue to do so as we grow in the coming years!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a creative myself, I love being a supporter of other artists and entrepreneurs in the city that I was born and raised in. Columbus has been my home since I was a kid, and after graduating from OSU, I decided to leave for a while and pursue a career in Chicago. Luckily, I came to my senses and moved back to Columbus, Ohio in 2018!
So far, I am most proud of the community I am helping to grow and cultivate in Olde Towne East. I live and work in the neighborhood, and have made so many amazing connections here. After working at the 700 Bryden Community for a year, I transitioned over to The Mansion 731 to grow that community as well and also started planning the OTE Art Walk in December 2021.
We just had our kickoff event for the OTE Art Walk this past Sunday (6/5) and I couldn’t have asked for a better crowd or turnout. We had thousands of people show up to support local artists, makers, and the businesses in OTE. Like I said previously, this has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had to be able to plan something that makes an impact on the city that I adore so much.
We’ll also have an upcoming OTE Art Walk on the 10th of July.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I learned that nothing is guaranteed and that if I wanted to make a difference, I needed to start sooner rather than later. It pushed me to leave my 9-5 corporate job and pursue what I truly felt passionate about and inspired by. During the lockdown in 2020, I used my free time to create my own art. I realized how hard it can be for artists and local shops to thrive and compete against corporations, especially in difficult times. All I could think about was focusing on ensuring that local shops/businesses got the attention they needed, and how I could impact our community for the better.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.700bryden.com/ote-art-walk
- Instagram: @themansion731 and @ote_art_walk
Image Credits
Brooke Nicole Photos
