LEAP Awards $20,000 for Public Art, Artist-Entrepreneurs with Support from PNC Foundation
LANSING, Mich. (July 5, 2022) – Continuing its investment in public art and artistentrepreneurs, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) awarded $20,000 for new permanent public art installations through its Public Art for Communities (PAFC) grant program. LEAP’s PAFC program, with support from the PNC Foundation, cultivates the Lansing region’s sense of place to help the region compete for business and talent. The 2022 PAFC grant awardees include the City of DeWitt Downtown Development Authority and Prospect P.L.A.C.E. Neighborhood in partnership with Allen Neighborhood Center. Each awardee will receive $10,000 to advance a new public art installation.
“In partnership with PNC and our local communities, LEAP’s Public Art for Communities Grant program has made a significant impact on increasing access and exposure to arts and culture across the region,” said Bob Trezise, president and CEO of LEAP. “Over ten years, the impact these grants have made on shaping an environment that attracts business and talent is visible across the tri-county Lansing region. We’re excited to see this collection continue to grow!”
“LEAP is very excited to host this annual grant program in partnership with PNC. We want to extend our appreciation to the Placemaking Committee for their time and diligent review of the applications. We look forward to seeing the art projects come to life,” said Emma Bostwick, TriCounty Development Manager of LEAP.
The competitive applications LEAP received for the PAFC grant program indicate the region’s robust placemaking efforts in recent years. In this grant term, the PAFC program will facilitate new permanent art installations in the City of DeWitt and City of Lansing, in effort to enhance talent attraction efforts.
“The DeWitt Downtown Development Authority is beyond excited to be a recipient of the LEAP Public Art for Communities grant. Our goal is to use this grant to bring beautiful, functional art to our downtown district. Having functional art will be a huge asset to our downtown and create an exciting atmosphere for a Place to Gather,” said Jennifer Roberts, DeWitt’s DDA coordinator.
Allen Neighborhood Center and Prospect P.L.A.C.E. are so pleased to be awarded this grant. We will be using the funds to create artistic bike racks for Hunter Park and Allen Place, which will add further community art to the East Kalamazoo Street corridor,” said Denise Paquette, Health & Housing Outreach director.
“Promoting a thriving, vibrant community is incredibly important for Lansing and support of the arts is a vital part of this process. There is a lot of excitement and activity taking place at the Allen Neighborhood Center and in the Prospect P.L.A.C.E. Neighborhood and I am thrilled that we will see even more vibrancy with the use of this LEAP arts grant,” said Mayor of Lansing, Andy Schor.
Since 2012, the PAFC grant program has invested $270,000 in growing a collection of strategically placed, permanent, public art throughout the tri-county region (Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties). The program has funded more than 36 individual pieces furnished by artist-entrepreneurs showcasing a diversity of mediums. From murals to alley walks to creative bike racks, sculptures and more, these pieces are intentionally located to enhance community image and elevate critical areas that need further economic development.
In 2015, LEAP began working with the PNC Foundation, a strong advocate of the PAFC grant program and regional placemaking. The PNC Foundation’s annual $10,000 contribution has helped expand the program and the number of pieces funded each year.
“PNC’s ongoing support of LEAP’s public art grant program reflects our Main Street values and commitment to the communities where we conduct business,” said Timothy Salisbury, PNC regional president for Mid-Michigan. “The arts bring us together and play a critical role in supporting the economic vitality of our communities today and well into the future.”
Both communities benefitting from the grant awards will launch a public Request for Proposal to seek submission ideas with the goal of completing the installations in March 2023.
###
About LEAP The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is a coalition of area leaders partnering to build a stronger community for all–working every day to grow, retain and attract business to the Lansing, Michigan, region.
About the PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
Category: LEAP Announcements, Business Development, Placemaking, Press Releases