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Riverside Arts Center, Fall, 2007, Newsletter

Publication outlines goals and procedures for artists
The City’s vision: “… Ypsilanti will be home to many active artists, reflecting the diversity of its population. Every month local art events will take place in the streets of downtown. Galleries and shops will be willing participants, eager to support local artists and continually bring more people downtown. Arts organizations will flourish as incredible sources of artistic activity with shows year around and events filled to capacity. Similar community organizations will abound as more artists make Ypsilanti their home, opening sculpture, dance, and photography studios all along Michigan Avenue and throughout downtown.”

“The First Step” helps artists determine the intensity of their process, examining low, medium, and high intensity activities.

Low intensity ranking includes arts, recording, mixed-media design, and photography (not chemical developing) studios, painting, drawing, clay or pottery-forming, sculpting, and decorating (not including kiln firing), performing arts, jewelry making, garment and fiber making, tailoring, music and voice schools.

Medium intensity activities are described as art gallery, music venue, installation art, printing services––including photo development, silk-screening, stone sculpture, art museums.

High intensity use includes kiln firing for clay, glass, and enameling; carpentry, woodworking including stripping and finishing facilities, and metalworking that requires chemical or heat processes.

Building permit processes are addressed:
“The common lack of understanding regarding building code restrictions is one of the most prohibitive aspects to undertaking an artistic endeavor. When a project entails a change of use or making any significant building improvements, you need to apply for the appropriate permits. When updating or remodeling a historic structure for an activity that will bring in the public, it may be necessary to update the building into ADA compliance. It is possible to apply for a variance to these conditions if you are making the improvements to a building that is within a historic district and if the requirements would cause an unnecessary hardship to the use of the site. Prior to tenancy of the site you will also need a Certificate of Occupancy. This requires not only the planning department and building departments’ endorsement of the project, but it may also require approval form the fire marshal or other city department.”

Cutbacks are hurting the arts in Michigan
Jonathan E. Himlin, publisher, May/June 2007 Art Showcase Magazine

It’s no stretch to say that Michigan is in a financial bind, with one of the worst economies in the country. The exit of giants like Pfizer, the decline of the big three automakers, a soft housing market, and rising unemployment rates all underscore that point.

Recently, in an attempt to stop the bleeding, Governor Granholm issued an executive directive placing a moratorium on the payment of all state grants for the remainder of the fiscal year (ending Sept. 30, 2007). According to the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), this represents a loss of nearly $7.5 million in unpaid grants statewide (almost 75% of what was awarded for ’07). Further, the State Senate has recommended cutting the funding for MCACA grants by $3.6 million in the current fiscal year.

This affects arts organizations across the board––and not just museums, festivals, art centers, but city arts councils, public libraries, historical societies, music and dance institutes, theatres, public schools and more.

What is the solution? To those of us who believe that the arts are critical to a healthy economy, that art and cultural opportunities draw people to an area, and that a thriving art scene invigorates commerce and stimulates economic growth, cutting funding for the arts is NOT going to help Michigan’s situation.

I encourage you to contact arts organizations in your community and support them in any way you can––whether by purchasing goods and services, making a donation, or even volunteering some of your time.

You can also contact your state representatives and express your concern over the potential loss of valuable arts programs. ArtServe Michigan (www.ArtServeMichigan.org), an organization dedicated to the support, strengthening and awareness building of arts, culture and creativity in Michigan, is a great source of information on how you can become involved.

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