Springfield Regional Arts Council

"Blunt Hails Regional Arts Center Funding"

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Blunt Hails Regional Arts Center Funding as Culmination of Community Vision

$1.4 Million Appropriation Moves Completion Ahead for Phases II & III
Roy Blunt speaks in the Arts Council office.
Photo by Paul K. Logsdon.

Springfield, Missouri -- Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt today provided details for the $1.4 million appropriation he secured in the closing days of the 108th Congress for the Springfield Regional Arts Council.

“The vision of the evolving Jordan Valley Park has always included a central role for the arts community with the renovated Creamery Building at its heart,” said Blunt. “Over the course of the next year, 40 local arts organizations will gain a centralized facility with resources for all artists and a home for the Regional Arts Council.”

The Congress provided an additional $50 million for local art projects in the 2005 appropriation process. The $1.4 million for the Creamery Arts Building in Springfield is the second largest grant approved through the Department of Education’s Funds for the Improvement of Education. Only Carnegie Hall in New York received a larger appropriation of $1.45 million. The Funds for the Improvement of Education will fund 70 art projects around the country worth approximately $14 million.

Dr. Christina Drale, President of the Springfield Regional Arts Council said, “The Arts Council is pleased to see so many elements of the plan coming together, and this funding makes it possible to move faster and do more to meet the expressed needs of the community. Our region has been asking for a coordinated approach to the arts as economic development, job creation, and education, and this recognizes all of that in a big way. We look forward to taking these funds and using them to meet the needs assessment and offer the community a great arts and cultural facility--ahead of schedule.”

“Congressman Blunt continues to work on Springfield’s behalf on a wide variety of projects and this is just the latest example of his long-standing commitment to our community,” Mayor Tom Carlson said. “We very much appreciate all of his efforts. The Creamery Arts Center is a very important element not only for the Jordan Valley Park plan, but for Springfield’s overall cultural opportunities. This grant will go a long way toward creating an even more enriching environment for the arts in Springfield, which is part of the Vision 20/20 Cultural Plan.”

Phase I of the renovation is underway, but the added federal funds mean the next two planned construction phases can begin immediately at the Creamery Building located at 411 Sherman Parkway. The Creamery Building’s new role is the result of years of development of the Community Cultural Plan (part of the Vision 20/20 process), including a needs assessment conducted with the arts community. The result is a list of the primary needs identified by the major arts organizations in the Springfield region. It represents a truly collaborative effort to share equipment, space, and resources for economies of scale and the best service to the community.

The Arts Council represents about 40 local arts organizations and 100 local artists. Those organizations include the Springfield Ballet and Springfield Regional Opera--both of which will be housed at the Creamery, along with the Springfield Little Theatre, Springfield Symphony, Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri and Vandivort Theatre to name a few.

The new arts center in the Creamery Building will include the following facilities:

* Film Production Studio, children’s educational “mock studio,” and public viewing room
The Arts Council is part of a collaborative effort to create opportunities for film production and events such as film festivals. This has several components in conjunction with partners such as the Springfield-Greene County Library, and the newly-formed Missouri Film Alliance Springfield, including a viewing room, a mock film studio for educational purposes, and a production studio for emerging productions.
* Artists Studio incubator space/cubicles for working artists
Working artist’s studios have been proven to be an economic development boon in other communities. Springfield artists have placed a high priority on having flexible space for artists, who provide space in exchange for demonstrating their work to visitors to the center and teaching classes.
* Equipping Hands-On space for self-directed art for children
This is an interactive space where children would do self-directed art (i.e. a series of stations where they have simple bullet points on how to do a self portrait, with a mirror, a piece of drawing paper, and a charcoal pencil). Costs for furnishing such a space, with existing infrastructure, would include furnishings, technology and equipment: cabinetry, chairs, a parent’s seating area, mirrors, photocopier, print making equipment, computers, printers, and scanners
* Retrofitting and equipping three classroom spaces and outdoor classroom
Classrooms would be flexible space for visual or performing arts instruction, workshops, or other training. Classrooms would require tables, chairs, podium, smart boards, cable, TV monitors, screens, overhead projectors, easels. Includes storage space, programming, and curriculum staff for Rotary-funded outdoor classroom to be completed in spring 2005.
* Black Box theatre equipment
A “Black Box” theatre is basically a shell that can be easily adapted for small theatre productions, such as children’s theatre and productions with minimal staging requirements. This is part of the phased work of the Creamery Arts Center, and will require seating, a permanent stage, lighting, and first year staffing to coordinate productions.
* Vehicle for Virtual GOAT and transportation of materials
The Arts Council is completing a “virtual Greater Ozarks Art Tour”—offering a computer game that introduces students to artists, art forms, and employment in the arts. This program will tour the schools, libraries, and places throughout the Springfield region. Funding would pay for a panel truck, maintenance, staff, and related costs.
* Rehearsal hall
This hall would be used by the Springfield Regional Opera, the Children’s Choirs, Chamber Orchestra, and other groups, and would serve a huge need in the community. The space has been designed as flexible space that could also be used for exhibits and as a classroom; this funding would equip it appropriately for musical training.
* Portable seating and staging for exhibition hall
Includes curtains for performances, and equipping exhibition hall to enable hanging children’s artwork, Tree City USA posters, etc.; includes panels for existing 8 x 10 ft. convention-style display unit to be used in exhibitions; includes portable stage.
* Web server for all local arts groups, with related software, cables and service, maintenance, personnel, and networking
Expansion of website would include additional incentives and interactive educational opportunities such as a teacher’s resource page, teaching tools, downloadable art activities, contests, and development of a shared homepage and regional database. This provides cost savings for all affiliate arts organizations.
* Curriculum development/general office
This would supplement the supplies provided in the classroom, along with the development of curriculum guides that use art to teach almost any component required on the MAPS testing. Funding would pay for research, staffing, printing, distribution.
* Equipment for a visual arts jury room
A jury room is a priority for local visual artists who need to switch slides to digital photo imagery and need help to do so, and who need computer technology to archive materials.
* Equipping room for ballet classroom/studio with dance floor, bars, mirrors.