Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
THE SPACE on Aurora Street between Book World, left, and Mattson's TV and Appliance will be used to build a city art park.
IRONWOOD -The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has pledged $10,000 as the state's match for a downtown Ironwood art park.
The art park will be on Aurora Street, between Mattson's TV and Appliance and Book World, and across from the Downtown Art Place and Historic Ironwood Theatre.
MEDC President-CEO Michael A. Finney said the initiative in Ironwood is "one of the first of its kind in the country, a great opportunity for residents, businesses, and others to pool resources and actively engage to transform public spaces in their communities."
The city of Ironwood, Downtown Ironwood Development Authority, Downtown Art Place and HIT announced the crowdfunding campaign through Michigan-based platform Patronicity.
The space will provide a public location to display art, hold performances and art classes, and promote arts and culture within the city.
The park will be available for public functions and city-sponsored events, as well as area organizations.
The local campaign must attain its crowdfunding goal of $10,000 by Dec. 6 for MEDC to provide the matching $10,000 grant.
The money will be used to help fund a concrete sidewalk and performance area, art and sculpture display areas, a mural wall, benches, tables, landscaping and a parking lot.
"This is a great opportunity for community members to be part of a public project that will benefit the entire community and provide a place for arts and culture to be experienced in the public realm," said Ironwood Community Development Director Michael Brown.
In July, the city adopted a new comprehensive plan and in 2009 it adopted a Downtown Blueprint Plan. Both call for a place to display public art.
MEDC, through the Pure Michigan program, serves as the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow the economy.
As of Monday, $70 had been contributed to the art park drive.
For project details and to contribute, visit: patronicity.com/project/city_of_ironwood_art_park.
