About
Funding
The SRAC is funded through festival proceeds, a percentage of the local hotel/motel tax, membership dues, donations, grants, sponsorships, and product sales. The SRAC facilitated a seven-organization collaborative grant approved in March by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to fund a costume shop and storage facility, to be managed by the SRAC. The teamwork in this application has been lauded as "never before seen." In addition, the SRAC has obtained $45,000 in federal funding through legislation sponsored by Congressman Roy Blunt. These funds are specifically for our summer education workshops for underserved children who attend schools that have been identified as serving low-income areas. We also have a $42,000 infrastructure commitment from four local Rotary Clubs to fund building an outdoor classroom.
Renovations to the Creamery have been made possible through the Missouri Development Finance Board (MDFB), with tax credits offered for three years (2001, 2002 and 2003). Initial funding has been provided by private donors through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, as well as by grants from the Musgrave Foundation and from the Rotary partnership.
In late 2004, work began to bring the building up to code, in order for full occupancy to be possible. With an initial $1.1M from the MDFB funds, work is now in progress on Phase I. Phase I includes mold and asbestos remediation, drainage work, insulation, roof, fire protection specialties, restroom construction, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and other basic code requirements. This Phase, which includes the Rotary Centennial Outdoor Classroom and infill for the costume shop, is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. Work is being done by Storee Construction under a formal bid process through the City of Springfield. The architect is Butler, Rosenbury and Partners.
Additional Phases
The announcement of a $1.4M appropriation of federal funds, through the work of Congressman Roy Blunt, means that Phase II and III will be able to move forward more quickly than anticipated. Those phases involve the interior retrofitting for occupation, after the code issues have been addressed in Phase I. The phases are roughly identified as follows in the City's Capital Improvement Program:
2005
Phase I
Building Shell and Code Compliance - Project budget is $949,938 plus alternates = $1,051,900
2006
Phase II
$950,000 (includes completing the air conditioning, tuck pointing of the building, classrooms, and other identified needs)
2007
Phase III
$1.2 (elevator, lobby structure, catering kitchen, artist studios, other improvements)
2008
Phase IV
$1.5M (building addition to house administration offices for additional arts groups)
2009
Phase V
$1.35M to $2M estimate (building addition or second building to meet other needs identified through the process of the Cultural Plan and community needs assessment)
The building's uses include collaboration among the Arts Council, the Springfield Ballet, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Symphony, Springfield Little Theatre and other groups. The Ballet will house its school in the facility; the Opera will house its administrative office and some rehearsal space; artist studios and workshops will be available. The building will be used for education as well as for community exhibitions and events. The Creamery will provide about 32,000 square feet of space to serve Springfield as well as the 27-county region of the Springfield Regional Arts Council.
The Jordan Valley Park concept is a recommendation from the Vision 20/20 process and a result of the citizens desire to provide a centrally located, unique and identifiable gathering place. With a 75% majority, citizens approved the hotel/motel tax that would provide initial funding for park development. The building was purchased as part of Phase I of Jordan Valley Park. Providing a community arts facility in the Park will encourage more people to visit the Park and Center City, particularly with its educational focus. In addition, it serves as a focal point to help stabilize both the visual and performing arts organizations in the community.
All work has been identified through the process of the Cultural Plan, including a formal needs assessment of the local arts community.
$1.4M
The application for federal funding was 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. It represents a truly collaborative effort to work together to share equipment, space, and resources for economies of scale and the best service to the community.
Funds will be used for interior infrastructure as well as to initiate new programs with their resulting operating costs. Work is expected to open new opportunities for film production and education, provide flexible space for working artists to demonstrate their work to promote both education and tourism, and equip the building for a hands-on space for children. The funding will help meet the needs of many of Springfield's art organizations, including the Springfield Ballet and Regional Opera.