Project Name: Art Alive
ABOUT THE APPLICANT
Are you applying as a:
DDA or CID
What is the entity’s name:
City of Grand Ledge Downtown Development Authority
What downtown area or business corridor does it serve?
Grand Ledge
Website URL
https://cityofgrandledge.com/234/Downtown-Development-Authority
Twitter Handle:
Facebook Handle:
https://www.facebook.com/CityofGrandLedgeGovernment
Instagram Handle:
What is the name of the primary contact for this entity’s application/project?
Amy Hoyes
What are their preferred pronouns?
She/her/hers
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Where will your project take place? (please include city/village too)
Grand Ledge
Anticipated project launch date
August 1, 2023
Briefly describe your project idea including your role and any project partners.
The Downtown Development Authority plans to work with the City of Grand Ledge and the Grand Ledge Chamber of Commerce to have a mural painted on a building on the main street of downtown Grand Ledge. This is a highly visible building that overlooks a little pocket park.
How do you plan to spend the $5,000 microgrant? Please list and explain the items, services, fees, expertise, etc. that you plan to purchase.
We will be paying the artist fees to have the mural painted on the building. It will likely need a frame around it to ease in moving it if for some reason the building or land changes owners we do not want to lose the mural.
Will your project require special permits from the community you are in? For example, anything that requires a street closure or installing a permanent art piece will likely require a special permit from your local governing body or zoning board. If your project is funded, the MML Foundation is happy to help you navigate that process. Please note that all applicants must obtain any necessary permits for their projects, if selected for funding.
Yes
Rachel’s Notes about the Project
Reviewed 4.20.23. Confirmed member status. Confirmed LOS. Confirmed photos. Confirmed viable project location. Confirmed two businesses (salon and eye place. Eye place is owner of the building, salon is on the side where mural will be).
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
Why does your community need this project?
The building needs to be lightened up, brightened up and given a fresh look. We have been talking about doing a mural with the city and the building owner since pre-covid. This building faces a pocket park called Bridge Street Plaza. The one side of the park has a “Greetings from Grand Ledge” mural that the chamber completed in 2021. Adding art to the other side will balance out the park and make it a more cohesive space for the community and visitors alike.
How will you engage your community in this project?
If we are selected, we will be promoted what we are planning to do on the building. The owner will be heavily involved as well as community in selecting some of the artistic components. We want the community to “visit” the mural and interact with it by taking photos and promoting that it is in our town. The hope is that it will drive more foot traffic on Bridge Street which is our main street in Grand Ledge.
What do you hope to achieve through this project?
We have tentatively created the term “Art Alive” for this project. We would like to have various colors, shapes and sizes of flowers painted on a building with the message that we are all diverse but equally important. This will promote our community as welcoming along with the building having some color and vibrancy to it.
How will the project celebrate the community’s diversity? Diversity can include different ages, races, cultures, socio-economic statuses, abilities, and more.
Given the idea of having various sizes, shapes and color of flowers on the building we want to spread the message that no matter the color, size, abilities to bloom at the same time, or how popular the flower might be does not make any flower less important. It is a metaphor for diversity and once we figure out the finances and exact scope of the flowers and design then we will work with a quote or phrase that celebrates the community’s diversity.
What resources do you already have to make this project successful? Resources could include things like time, partners, expertise, donated goods/materials/space, matching funds, and more. Please approximate the in-kind value if possible.
The Grand Ledge Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority, City of Grand Ledge, building owner and local artist, who has worked with us before, will be utilized. We will pool funds from this grant and the chamber if awarded to make this happen. In-kind donations are not specified yet.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Artist First and Last Name:
Adrienne Gelardi
Artist Website (If Applicable): https://artofadrienne.com/about/
Artist Facebook Handle
https://www.facebook.com/ArtOfAdrienne
Artist Instagram Handle
@ArtofAdrienne
Describe the artist’s or artists’ work. This is not about credentials—what do they do as an artist?
She paints beautiful vibrant murals around mid-Michigan as well as front doors and garage doors and detailed pet portraits.
How will the artist be involved in this project?
She will be designing, planning, coordinating and implementing the mural to its full completion. She is the artist so we will be working with her on the vision before she paints it for us. So, it will be a team effort to make this come to fruition.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
Business 1: Business Name:
Eyes Optometry Boutique
Business 1: Business Type:
Service
Business 1: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Roxanne Pollard
Business 1: Physical Location Address
221 S Bridge Street
Business 1: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 1: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
https://www.facebook.com/EYESOptometryBoutique
Business 1: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
https://www.instagram.com/eyes.optometryboutique/
How will this partner be involved in the project?
The building owner has given us the approval and permission to create a mural on her building. It was her idea in 2021 for flowers to be on her building. She owns the building and her business is in one of the building.
Business 2: Business Name:
Salon 219
Business 2: Business Type:
Service
Business 2: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Heather Fulton
Business 2: Business Physical Location Address:
219 S Bridge Street
Business 2: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
salon219inc
Business 2: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
https://www.facebook.com/salon219inc
Business 2: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
salon219inc
How will this second partner be involved in the project?
Salon 219 rents space from Roxanne who owns the building. The side of the building where the salon is located is where we would like to paint the flower mural.
Do you have additional partners (business, non-profit, etc.)?
Yes
What are their names?
Grand Ledge Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy Hoyes who is also on the Downtown Development Authority Board.
What role(s) will they have in the project?
The chamber will help facilitate the grant and the implementation process. They will also be involved in any permits required, scheduling and implementation with the artist. The chamber office is in city hall so it make communication super easy to get permits, etc.
Are they located within the same downtown or business district as the project?
yes
Will your local municipal government be involved in the project? If so, how?
Yes, they fully support us creating more murals downtown. The discussion of more art in our downtown corridor is a frequent topic and high priority.
Please upload a letter of support on letterhead for your project from your local governing body (mayor, city/village manager, city/village council member).
Click the icon(s) below to view. Note that this may download to your computer depending on the file type.
IMAGE UPLOADS
Image Caption 1 (if any): This is the wall where we want to have the mural
Image 1 (if any):
Image Caption 2 (if any): Copy of the mural on the other building
Image 2 (if any):
Image Caption 3 (if any):
Image 3 (if any):
Image Caption 4 (if any):
Image 4 (if any):
Image Caption 5 (if any):
Image 5 (if any):