June 26, 2023 at 2:17 p.m.
Bringing the arts outdoors
$42,000 grant to fund art park in downtown Rhinelander
Bringing the arts outdoors
"The City of Rhinelander is both honored and grateful to have received this funding from the WEDC on behalf of the ArtStart program," city administrator Patrick Reagan said in a press release announcing the grant. "Revitalizing this space in downtown Rhinelander is a win for so many members of our community - residents, artists, downtown businesses, and the many visitors that come to our community each year. We are always excited to see the continued revitalization of downtown Rhinelander and we are very proud of the hard work that ArtStart has done to help lead this continuing transformation."
According to the release, the Vibrant Spaces grant program is designed to help cities and towns revitalize underused spaces to build community and attract future residents. Through this grant program, communities across the state of Wisconsin will be investing in their workforce attraction and small business development by creating inviting, walkable spaces in their downtowns, gateway districts, and economic centers, the release states.
"Investing in vibrant communities where people want to live, work, and raise families is critical to attracting and retaining workers in our state," said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state's leading economic development organization. "These grants will help communities create new gathering places in thriving downtowns to draw in residents, visitors, new businesses and investments."
In collaboration with ArtStart, a local cultural enrichment organization, the City of Rhinelander is constructing an Art Park, a public gathering hub and event space in downtown Rhinelander.
The park will include a community green space, an outdoor performance space, an outdoor gallery space, and an outdoor classroom, according to the release.
"The outdoor gallery space will help uplift local artists and host a variety of new community events. When the park isn't being used for events, it will be a place for visitors and employees to relax and enjoy the amenities of the downtown," the release states.
"ArtStart is very excited to be given this opportunity by the City of Rhinelander with the support of the WEDC Vibrant Spaces grant," noted Ashley McLaughlin, program and operations director at ArtStart. "The Art Park project has been on pause waiting for funding and now with this support, we are able to build this beautiful and accessible park for our community," she added.
"The Vibrant Spaces Grant program is an initiative within WEDC's Community Development and Investment (CDI) grant program," the release explains. "Projects were evaluated based on their ability to create visible and pedestrian oriented public spaces that attract and accommodate multiple users and activities. Successful projects demonstrated that they would benefit the local district, nearby businesses and the community as a whole. Communities were required to match grant funds and begin construction this summer."
More information can be found online at: https://wedc.org/programs-and-resources/vibrant-spaces.
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