Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Artspace launches toolkit to help communities find affordable space for the arts

Representatives from Minneapolis-based Artspace spoke at the "Living Upstairs in Wyoming" conference last spring in Sheridan and at the September 2009 Arts Summit in Cheyenne. They also conducted a site visit a few years ago in Casper.

Artspace now has designed a toolkit for communities to use as they investigate affordable spaces for the arts.

Here are some details from a press release:

Artspace Projects, the country’s leading nonprofit real estate developer for the arts, is pleased to announce the launch of its Consulting Toolkit. This comprehensive resource will help arts organizations and advocates, community development professionals, and municipal leaders, effectively explore the process and options for development of affordable space for the arts in their communities.

With more than 25 properties developed nationwide, Artspace has long been recognized for setting the standard in creating affordable space for artists and arts organizations. Artspace’s projects are frequently cited as playing a critical role in bringing economic and physical rejuvenation to city centers large and small, while providing affordable space for area artists and arts organizations.

Artspace’s Consulting and New Projects division is in high demand as communities seek their expertise. In light of this demand, and in lieu of embarking on a full-scale consulting contract, Artspace’s Consulting and New Projects’ staff now has the Consulting Toolkit to offer as a next-step for some communities.

The Artspace Consulting Toolkit is an online tool, designed to help communities clarify their interest and determine the feasibility of creating affordable space for the arts. The Toolkit is self-guided, cost-effective, and offers a wide range of information including downloadable documents, relevant website links, and robust descriptions of steps to complete the entire process. Topics such as How to Survey Your Market, How to Analyze a Site, How to Identify Funding Sources and How to Identify and Cultivate Local Leaders are all covered as part of the Consulting Toolkit.

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“We hope people will look into this new tool,” said Wendy Holmes, Artspace vice president for consulting and resource development. “If an organization is interested, they can simply fill out the online questionnaire, and one of our staff consultants will contact them within five working days to discuss whether the Consulting Toolkit is the right resource to help them maximize their community’s opportunity.”

For more information on the Artspace Consulting Toolkit visit www.artspace.org and click on “Consulting.”