Artspace, a national nonprofit housing developer, will be in Crookston for two days in April to look at the needs of artists and arts organizations and the possible redevelopment of sites there including the Palace/Wayne Hotel.
A group in Crookston has announced the receipt of $5,000 to cover the cost of the visit April 14-15, which would include a tour of the community and potential sites and buildings.
There also would be a community presentation, a focus group meeting for artists and arts organizations, focus groups and public meetings for finance leadership and civic leadership and working lunches and dinners, a news release said.
Artspace would help Crookston understand the space needs of artists and arts organizations, including economic considerations, and will provide a summary of their findings for potential development in Crookston within 30 days after its visit.
This could result in the possible redevelopment of one or a number of historic Crookston structures, a news release said.
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The Artspace grant follows an earlier Legacy grant award of $7,000, which is to be used to study the reuse of the Cathedral building as a possible center for the arts.
Public participation and comments will be important to the success of the Artspace visit. People can comment and follow the project through www.ourcrookston.blogspot.com and/or contact members of the core project group: Dan Johanneck, Wayne Melbye, Joyce Johnson, Sandy Kegler, Sonja Spaeth, Jim Kent or Kay Hegge.
The $5,000 grant for the Artspace visit comes from the Laura Jane Musser Fund, a fund to encourage collaborative efforts to strengthen rural communities in economic development, business preservation, arts and humanities, public space improvements and education.
The fund puts a priority on projects that bring together community members and institutions; provide opportunities for community members to work together; have measurable short-term outcomes within the first 12 to 18 months; include community members in all phases of the process; and work to make positive changes.
Artspace gives feedback about the feasibility of creating a major multipurpose arts facility development related to the project concept, market need, suitability of the site, the potential to fund and sustain the project, and local leadership.
