City of Lansing Introduces Nearly $160,000 in Arts & Culture Grants
Large Mosaic Mural and Six Additional Area Arts Projects Receive Funding
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor was joined this afternoon by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing and 2020 City of Lansing Arts & Culture Grant awardees. The group gathered beneath the Shiawassee Bridge in Rotary Park to announce $157,500 in 2020 Arts & Culture Grants.
Announcements included a$75,000 Arts Impact Project Grant and six Arts Project Grants totaling $82,500 to local arts and cultural organizations. The City of Lansing Arts &Culture Grants are funded through the City of Lansing and administered by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing.
“One of our strengths as a city is all of our talented artists and our diverse, creativity community. Art contributes to the visual landscape of Lansing and tells the story of our history and our future. It makes us stronger and shapes our identity,” said Mayor Andy Schor. “This year’s grants will fund art projects that celebrate the talent and diversity in our region,” Shor said. “Projects like these work to make Lansing welcoming to visitors and attractive to potential new residents and businesses, and as a result, they contribute to and encourage economic growth. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients and thank you to the Arts Council of Greater Lansing for helping make these projects a reality.”
The City of Lansing Arts &Culture Grants are designed to support arts organizations and create community-driven artistic projects that capitalize on Lansing’s assets, inspiration and potential, contributing to a “sense of place” for residents, businesses and visitors.
The city is pleased to announce the 2020 Arts Impact Project, community mosaic mural, which will be installed along the 25 steps and a portion of the curved wall of the Shiawassee Street Bridge. Lead by local artist Alexandra Leonard, this will be a collaborative project that will engage a number of area community partners and neighbors as part of its installation, which will include workshops where residents can create tiles to be incorporated in the project.
The six 2020 arts projects include Capital City Film Festival’s Play Series; Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center’s Art path; Lansing Symphony Orchestra’s Neighborhood Concerts; REACH Studio Art Center’s Walk-in Wednesdays; and Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art’s Michigan BluesFest and Lansing JazzFest.
“We are so fortunate to have so many creative thinkers in our region that consistently work to bring to life projects that matter to our city,” said Meghan Martin, Arts Council executive director. “These projects reflect the many facets of Lansing and highlight our unique identity as a community. This program provides so many wonderful opportunities for Lansing residents, and visitors to our community, to engage with accessible arts experiences that reflect our city’s talent and creativity.”