Trusler Donates $300,000 For Arts Center
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The Trusler Foundation has given $300,000 toward a new arts center in downtown Emporia, the Emporia Arts Council announced Monday.
The gift puts the arts council up to $1,730,000, or about two-thirds of the $2.6 million needed. The money will go toward building an arts center next to the Granada Theatre. The site is currently occupied by Dayton’s Hobbies & Crafts and Tallgrass Art & Frame, both of which have plans to relocate if the campaign succeeds.
Dayton’s is owned by Susan and Sally Kelley and Tallgrass is owned by their sister Sara Kelley. None of the sisters has decided where new business locations will be.
“We’re still exploring and thinking,” said Susan Kelley. She said a new arts center would be “a great addition to the downtown.”
The arts council went public with its fund-raising campaign last week, having already raised $1.43 million in the silent donations. Of that, $330,000 came through a challenge grant from the Oklahoma-based Mabee Foundation, the same nonprofit that helped with the Granada’s restoration.
The Mabee money carries an April 1 deadline, by which time the rest of the money must be raised.
The new arts council, at 18,000 square feet, would be about six times the size of the existing building at 618 Mechanic St. It would include gallery space, a full-service kitchen, larger classrooms, a clay studio, theater space and a scene-building shop.
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by ChuckNorris (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 1:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not saying anything bad about art, but do we really need this? I mean Emporia is a small town not a metropolis, what I am trying to say is that I think the community could be much better off with other things to better Emporia. Here is how you figure this ask your self honestly how many times will you go this place? Once maybe twice? then in a few years there will be another huge fund raiser to save the art center....
There are so many more important things we could be spending money on..............I guess I only have one more thing to say "Clock Tower".
Posted by hjcary (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I totally agree with the above reader. $300,000 would go a lot further in many other areas. Areas that would help people not just entertain the "well to do" of the town. I don't see myself visitng the arts center. I might have to once to see what all the hub bub was and see how poorly the money was used then that is it I would not be going back. I hope the wrecking ball that comes down to tear out the currant historic building does not take out Fox Pool and Patio or the Theater!
Posted by daveedailey (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I too agree. Do they think this will bring more tourism to Emporia? Will this bring more white collar jobs to Emporia? How about just make Emporia look like we might have some class.
Posted by jackslap (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that this is just wonderful for the community. Keep up the great work!
Posted by KristieR (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Granted, I don't live in Emporia, I don't know the history of the "clock tower" but it's obviously a sore spot.
The money being raised is coming from private donations, not tax payer money right? So, why are you complaining about it? You want Emporia's population to grow/sustain, but you don't support an effort to try to offer entertainment/education to the citizens. You want people to live there, but give them nothing to do?
Will the art center give young people the chance to put on the Nutcracker at Christmas time? Will young families get to take their children to Sesame Street Live now?
When my family travels to a larger city for entertainment, we stay at a hotel, eat at a restaurant, and get gas at the station for our trip home. That's money in the business owner's pockets. That business owner then has money to spend back into the community. Even if you don't plan on going to the art center, you can still benefit from it's existence. Ever play dominoes? It's all connected.
Revitalization has to start somewhere.
What sort of things do you think PRIVATE money should be spent on?
Posted by bdprotheroe (anonymous) on July 25, 2007 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A cultural investment for the community? I think this is terrific news for Emporia. I might add, I am happy to learn the arts center will be next door to the Fox-Granada and within walking distance of the university, thus helping with the continual revival of the city's historic downtown corridor for citizens and visitors.
Brian Protheroe
San Francisco, CA
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)