Artists, Creative Entrepreneurs Encouraged to Attend Workshop and Property Tour on Wednesday, June 20 

 EAST LANSING, Mich., June 13, 2012 – The City of East Lansing and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing will host an informational workshop and property tour for artists and creative entrepreneurs on Wednesday, June 20 to share exciting information about the Downtown East Lansing Cultural Entrepreneurship Program. The workshop will begin at 3 p.m. at in the Court Conference Room at East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Rd. A walking tour of small available downtown properties will begin at 3:30 p.m., with a final stop at Grove Gallery Co-op at 4:30 p.m. The Downtown East Lansing Cultural Entrepreneurship Program is designed to assist local artists, creative entrepreneurs, and arts-based businesses with starting and sustaining creative and profitable businesses in downtown East Lansing—creating jobs and diversifying an already viable downtown. The program provides loans and microenterprise grant assistance to creative entrepreneurs and businesses that plan to locate or are already located in East Lansing’s downtown. The workshop will provide participants with information on the financial and technical assistance available through the program. The Downtown East Lansing Cultural Entrepreneurship Program was first adopted by the City of East Lansing in 2007. The program serves low- to moderate-income business owners through the use of Community Development Block Grant funds. For more information regarding the workshop or the program, contact Leslie Donaldson, Arts Council of Greater Lansing executive director, at (517) 372-4636 ext. 2 or Amy Schlusler-Owens of the East Lansing Department of Planning & Community Development at (517) 319-6931. Founded in 1965, the Arts Council of Greater Lansing is a non-profit organization whose mission is to lead, advocate for and advance arts and culture in the capital region. For more information, visit www.www.lansingarts.org.