[DAC] FW: ARTISTLINK TO INVEST $48,500 IN ARTIST SPACES

[Joyce Linehan]

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-180355-4664520 at listserv.state.ma.us
[mailto:bounce-180355-4664520 at listserv.state.ma.us] On Behalf Of Jason
Schupbach
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 2:23 PM
To: joyce at ashmontmedia.com
Subject: ARTISTLINK TO INVEST $48,500 IN ARTIST SPACES

ARTISTLINK PREDEVELOPMENT RECOVERABLE GRANTS SUPPORT CREATIVE ECONOMY
INFRASTRUCTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS


Eight artists, developers and municipalities across Massachusetts will
receive grants ranging from $ 4,000 to $ 9,000 from the ArtistLink
Predevelopment Recoverable Grant Fund.  The grants, totaling $48,500, were
announced today by ArtistLink, which administers the program.  The funds
will support critical predevelopment work on artist spaces across
Massachusetts.    The complete list of grants is found at the end of this
release.

The ArtistLink grants will support Massachusetts artists, developers and
municipalities with building projects that create new jobs, leverage private
funding, and expand arts and cultural activities in communities across the
state.  This round of ArtistLink grants was made possible by a $50,000 grant
by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) in September 2007.    The fund
was launched and guidelines posted online in October 2007.   The first round
of applications were due December 12th and the Review Panel met on January
16th.  For more on the fund please visit www.ArtistLink.org. 

What are predevelopment recoverable grants?   They are small grants to help
determine whether a project is feasible and ready to receive financing to
begin construction.  Predevelopment costs might include architectural plans,
marketing plans, environmental studies, building code consultants, or other
‘soft costs.’  The grants are considered recoverable because the expectation
is that they will be paid back to the funder if and when the project moves
forward. That way, another project can take advantage of these funds.  If
the project does not move forward, there’s no obligation to pay the funder
back.

“Working artists are the backbone of the creative economy in Massachusetts,”
said MCC Executive Director Anita Walker.  “We're pleased to help ArtistLink
support these artists in developing spaces that will revitalize our
communities.”

Recipients are located in seven communities statewide from Holyoke to
Boston,  and run the gamut from a sculpture studio in Chelsea expanding its
space to a new music rehearsal and community center in Dudley Square.   The
artist-owned Paper City Studios LLC in Holyoke will use a $4,000 grant to
figure out how to convert their building for artists  working and living
within the building code.  In Boston, Channel Center LLC will use a $9,000
grant to create a marketing plan  for the transformation of a historically
significant building in Fort Point into a center for local creative
businesses and artists.  In downtown Lynn, Lynn Investing in Neighborhoods
Corp. will use a $4,000 grant to complete architectural drawings for a
potential affordable artist live/work rental building in the upper floors of
a 25,000 -square-foot former shoe factory building.

ArtistLink received funding requests totaling $80,000 for this first round.
ArtistLink recruited six experts with experience in facilities finance, real
estate project management, construction, facilities operations,
organizational development, grant making and historic renovation and
preservation, to review and rank the applications using a weighted set of
criteria.  Award decisions were based on the recipients’ ranking.  Maximum
awards are capped at $9,000.  Grants announced today must be matched
one-to-one by the recipient. 

About the Sponsors

ArtistLink is a collaborative initiative to help improve support systems for
Massachusetts artists. ArtistLink takes a leadership role on artist space by
providing individual artists, developers, and municipalities with
information, technical assistance, and other forms of support. ArtistLink
was formed through the collaborative effort of Massachusetts Cultural
Council (MCC), the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), The Boston
Foundation, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), LEF Foundation, Boston
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), The Mayor’s Office of Arts,
Tourism and Special Events, and the Barr Foundation. It was catalyzed by a
grant from Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC).   

The Massachusetts Cultural Council is a state agency that promotes
excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities, and
sciences to improve the quality of life for Massachusetts residents and
contribute to the state’s economic vitality.  MCC is committed to building a
central place for arts and culture in the everyday lives of communities
through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for cultural
organizations, schools, and artists.  MCC receives an annual appropriation
from the state Legislature and funds from the National Endowment for the
Arts and other sources.  

New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) has been a significant cultural
force since 1975, when it was created as one of six regional arts
organizations nationwide.  Through extensive funding, advocacy, and
networking efforts, NEFA promotes the creation and distribution of the full
range of artistic expression.  NEFA is a grantmaker, program initiator,
regional laboratory, project coordinator, developer of resources, and
builder of creative partnerships among artists, arts organizations and
funders.  NEFA is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts; the New
England state arts agencies; and corporations, foundations, and individuals.
NEFA creatively supports the movement of people, ideas, and resources in the
arts within New England and beyond, make vital connections between artists
and audiences, and build the strength, knowledge, and leadership of the
region's creative sector.

GRANT AWARDS 

Channel Center LLC 
Location: Fort Point, Boston
Grant: $9,000 for market study
Artist Space Type: Artist studios for rent and creative business office
space
Project Summary: Fort Point neighborhood-based artists and creative
businesses purchased this building to provide affordable space for displaced
Fort Point artists and creative businesses.  The building is 5 floors with a
basement, 4,000 sf per floor - 23,000 sf total.  It is located very close to
Midway Studios and is in excellent shape.   The building will be fully
commercial space, included in the plan are discounted artist workspace, a
community conference/gathering space, a restaurant, and space for creative
businesses.  Funding will be used to help market the property to the
neighborhood. 

Lynn Investing In Neighborhood Corp. CDC 
Location: Lynn
Grant: $4,000 architectural design fees.
Artist Space Type: 6 live/work rentals 
Project Summary: This project aims to provide 14 low-cost highly-subsidized
living and working rental units on the upper floors of a 25,000 SF former
downtown factory loft building in the old shoe-manufacturing core of Lynn.
The units will be deed restricted to remain affordable.  Funding will be
used for initial architectural designs.

Malden Redevelopment Authority 
Location: Malden
Grant: $5,000 for pre-marketing and outreach
Artist Space Type: 8-10 Affordable Live/Work condos
Project Summary:
This project aims to provide 8 to 10 low-cost highly-subsidized living and
working units in a former convent recently purchased by the City of Malden.
The convent contains approximately 9000 sf on three levels above a usable
basement.  The proposed layout creates separate living and working spaces,
but they are always in close proximity.  The units will be deed restricted
to remain affordable.    The units are intended to sell for as little as
$100,000.  The funding will be used to support pre-marketing in order to
make sure that the project meets the artist community’s needs.

New England Sculpture Service 
Location: Chelsea
Grant: $4,000 for code analysis, architectural plans and construction cost
estimation
Artist Space Type: Artist studios for rent 
Project Summary: 
The NESS is a high functioning professional sculpture production shop which
owns a building in which they currently only utilize the first floor.  The
need to have a code consultant help them understand how to access and use
their second floor are for artist rental studios space, while maintaining a
casting operation in the same structure. The building contains 21,400 sf in
two adjoining buildings.  Funding will be used for this structural analysis.

Northern Lights Studios 
Location: Somerville
Grant: $4500 for code consulting and architecture
Artist Space Type: Artist studios for rent 
Project Summary: This project is a group of displaced artists assembling a
new floor of rental space in an industrial building for studios.  The
building is a very plain and simple two-story industrial structure built in
the sixties, and located about ¼ mile from Brickbottom.  The proposed space
consists of 9300 SF on the upper floor and is served by two stairs leading
directly to private street-front doorways.  There is also a roll-up door
opening to the side driveway through which large or heavy objects can be
lifted in.  10 studios are currently proposed, although this number may grow
if people want smaller spaces.

Paper City Studios 
Location: Holyoke
Grant: $4,000 for code review and architectural schematics
Artist Space Type: Artist studios and live/work for rent
Project Summary: The building, 80 Race Street, is approximately 36,000
square feet in area on four floors, fronting on a canal. This building was
recently purchased by two artists from Easthampton.  The building already
has several functioning artist studios in provisional spaces, and they are
looking to open up other parts of the structure to new artists.  The funding
will support a code consultant to create a plan for a safe and finance-able
studio and live/work building.

Polyrhythm 
Location: Dudley Square, Boston
Grant: $9,000 for architecture, engineering, and market study
Artist Space Type: Music rehearsal, recording and performance space 
Project Summary: Polyrhythm is a well-conceived vision for a new community
music center in Roxbury.  It is being developed by music/architect who wants
to create a place where local musician and the local community can interact
and learn music together.  There’s music rehearsal, music recording,
performance space, a restaurant, and music educational programming planned.
The existing buildings contain 24,000 SF of which about 17,000 SF will be
rentable to studios, classrooms and retail space.  Funding will help pay for
a market study to support the financing of the project, and also
architectural fees.

South Shore Advocacy for Arts Studios (Ed O’Connell, owner) 
Location: Hanson
Grant: $9,000 for code consulting, architecture, engineering
Artist Space Type: Artists studios for rent, gallery and workshops
Project Summary:   In July of 2007, 150 artists lost their studios in the
Codman Building, a large mill building in Rockland, as it was converted to
condos.  Some of these artists formed a new active group, South Shore
Advocacy for Art, and are interested in finding new permanent space for
artists on the South Shore.  Ed Hanson owns this unique building and is
interested working with SSAFA to convert it into artist studios and
ultimately into an arts center with teaching/gallery/workshop space.  The
building is a relatively new structure of about 26,000 sf on three levels
that was designed for retail use.  The proponent is willing to use his own
money to do repairs and build out studio spaces, but life-safety and
mechanical issues have to be determined before construction of safe studio
space can commence.  Funding will be used to determine these structural
issues.

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.1/1300 - Release Date: 2/26/2008
7:50 PM
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.1/1300 - Release Date: 2/26/2008
7:50 PM