Artspace Update!

The Courier has another article on Elgin’s Artspace. Sounds like it’ll probably happen!

Interested artists can take a survey about the future Artspace by clicking here.

Tags: art, artspace, Courier News, Elgin, IL, Illinois
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Artspace update

This is an e-mail from the city cut and pasted. Looks like things are moving along nicely…

After our initial meetings in March, Artspace provided us with a Preliminary Feasibility Report. They felt that the level of community support and leadership in Elgin is a good indicator for the future success of an Artspace project. The next step in our project is to compile a list for a market survey to be conducted this summer. A location has not been decided upon; the survey will determine the interest and how many units will be developed for the project. Please mark your calendar for Ju! ly 24 at 7 p.m. we will be having a public meeting with Artspace again in the Heritage Ballroom at the Centre with details and updates on the progress of the project.
If you know anyone interested in needing space please have them send their name and address to reedus_j@cityofelgin.org.

What is this Artspace I speak of? Click here to find out.

Tags: art, artspace, development, Elgin, housing, Illinois, low-income housing, nonprofit
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Art Show @ Gasthaus.

On April 26th of this year there was a very special art show at the Gasthaus (15 N. Grove Ave.). MY ART WAS IN IT!! This is the first time my art has been in an official “art show.” Here are some of my favorite photos. Click here for a full set. (Thanks for these Erin!)

One of my good friends made this while I was at her apartment, while we both watched My So-Called Life. Now that’s talent!

Like any good art show, there was a good spread of food there.

The first art enthusiasts to arrive.

Mine are the brighter two all the way to the right.

Thanks to Amy of Moon River Products (Click to see other stuff they book at Gasthaus) for putting this together!

All of the work is staying up for at least another week or so–go check it out!

Tags: art, art show, bar, Elgin, events, fun, Gasthaus, Grove, Illinois, Moon River Products, music, paintings
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Art in Algonquin.

Remember when I mentioned an art event in Algonquin? Well I went to it! Their public art program is incredible. Artists lend their pieces to be put on display publicly–some on the street, others in schools and public buildings. Click here to read all about it. (As an urban planner myself, I must note that Algonquin’s planner Ben Mason seems to be the one who came up with this great idea.)

Here are a bunch of photos I took at the event. I promised myself I’d remember artists’ names, but sadly my memory broke that promise and I cannot find the names online. If anyone knows, please comment!

This one was probably my favorite.

I felt smart because that was my guess at the meaning, based on the titles.

These motivate me to be more adventuresome in my painting. Next time I paint I think I’ll go outside first and grab handfuls of stuff to throw in there with it.

This gigantic boat is made out of toothpicks. No, not joking.

A close up.

Apparently this lights up, but we didn’t get to see that.

Kudos on the solar panels.

If you know me at all, you can probably guess what I’m going to write next: Elgin, let’s do something like this!

Also, there were delightful sweets at the event and I grabbed a business card of the pastry company then promptly lost it. If you know the name, comment, because they deserve lots of business!

Tags: Algonquin, art, events, Illinois, pastries, photography, public art, sweets, urban planning
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Free art event in Algonquin.

There’s an art open house tonight in Algonquin that I think I might check out. It’s free! I like art, and sometimes there is free food at that sort of thing. Cross your fingers! Here’s the description:

The village of Algonquin and Algonquin Public Arts Commission will hold its annual spring art open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the village hall, 2200 Harnish Drive. The event, which is free and open to the general public, will give area residents a chance to learn about Algonquin’s award-winning public art program, as well as meet public arts commission members and view some of their work. More than 15 fine art pieces created by commission members will be on display, in addition to other artwork being exhibited this year as part of the public art program. For more information about the open house, contact Village Planner Ben Mason at (847) 658-4184.

Tags: Algonquin, art, events, Illinois, open house, public art
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Artspace in Elgin!

The meeting ran for an hour and a half tonight and over 100 people showed up. Awesome! The meeting was a presentation by and question-and-answer time with representatives from Artspace, a Minneapolis-based housing development non-profit organization that aims to “create, foster and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations.” Here’s the scoop for interested parties who couldn’t make it:

-Artspace develops affordable rental housing units. To qualify to live in an Artspace building, one must make less than 60% of the county’s median income. Kane County’s estimated median household income was $63,741 a year in 2006. 60% of that is $38,244. The average household is comprised of around three people, so a household of three wanting to live in the Artspace building could not be making over $38,244 total. The maximum income would be much less for a single person living alone.

-Artspace buildings often become home to all sorts of artists–painters, poets, musicians, actors, etc. This can lead to a “Bohemian-like” culture, where everyone in the building knows each other and regularly shares creative ideas and inspiration. Many Artspace buildings have monthly gallery nights where tenant artists opens their spaces up to the public.

-Aside from providing affordable space for artists, the hope is that an Artspace building will revitalize the neighborhood it is in. Another hope is that the Artspace building will keep that revitalization from pushing artists out of the changing neighborhood as property values rise–something that has happened in gentrified neighborhoods in cities across the country.

-If Artspace developed an Elgin Artspace building, it would involve first choosing a building or site. While in town they looked at several locations, including 16-20 N. State and 370 Brook. They have done both new developments and restored spaces in the past.

-The development of the building is paid for through a combination of funds–federal low-income housing dollars, Community Development Block Grant dollars, and monies from foundations or philanthropic contributions. Most developments are finished 3-5 years after the start date.

-Most Artspace buildings have a minimum of 25 units. Units include live-work spaces (apartments with an average of 200 extra square feet) and commercial space. The live-work spaces come in different sizes (studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom). Offices and retail businesses operate out of the commercial spaces and pay market rate rents. The apartment dwellers pay lower rents that are subsidized. Art-related businesses might be able to receive slightly lower rents as well.

-Once a building is completed, it is owned by Artspace. They hire a local management company to do managing and maintenance. The units are 100% rental, with no possibility for tenants to have ownership in the building.

-Because Artspace receives federal low-income housing dollars, they cannot restrict non-artists from renting in their buildings. Spaces are open on a first come, first served basis. The spaces are designed and marketed as art spaces, however, and of the 20+ buildings Artspace has developed, only one is not majority artist-occupied.

-The closest Artspace building is on Chicago’s west side. Click here for more information on the Switching Station Artist Loft.

I like the idea and hope the ball gets rolling on this project. Too tired to write much more now; maybe later!

Tags: affordable housing, art, art space, artists, Elgin, non-profit, public meeting, rental units
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