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Click to
learn more about Virgil H. Carr Reasons to support the ALM
Virgil Carr Center:
Why is this
cultural arts center important to the Detroit region?
Focus groups and discussions with
community leaders recognized that there was no specific location for
the African American arts to call their own, with no single spot
identified as a gathering place, a resource, a creative Center.
As "clubhouse" for the neighborhood, Carr Center provides a wide
range of cultural and entertainment activities. The center
will anchor a neighborhood inclusive of 250 units of housing,
commercial and retail space, food outlets, art galleries and other
cultural attractions. The University Cultural Center,
Cathedral Church of St. Paul and other organizations and individuals
in the neighborhood, as well as city leaders have participated in
the facility development process. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
supports and endorses the project. The Carr Center will
provide a "home" - literally and symbolically - for African American
artists, arts organizations and their programs. While many
other organizations serve and provide the community with African
American cultural arts programs and services intermittently, the
Carr Center will offer continuing year-round activities designed to
reach and serve a multicultural audience of all ages.
How
does ALM compare to other similar programs in our area?
There are
facilities in our area similar in product delivery to ALM.
However, ALM maintains both a unique and complementary style.
As example, while we do not participate directly with our schools in
increasing test scores, we do complement schools by providing much
needed instruction and encouragement in the arts. Statistics
show that learning through the arts often results in greater
academic achievement and higher test scores. ALM provides a
prep-ground for future students of the arts in many aspects of
design and other artistic/musical disciplines. We are equally
qualified to provide services to adult artist. The Virgil H.
Carr Cultural Arts Center, future home of the Arts League of
Michigan, is developed as a home for all disciplines - and for the
artists generating these disciplines, under one roof.
How
will the center contribute to the regional economy?
The Virgil
H. Carr Cultural Center will be a catalyst for economic and
community development in that the building is not merely an arts
facility, rather a community is being built, an essential ingredient
in the mix that makes a complete neighborhood. The opportunity
to use arts and culture to generate new economic activity and
strengthen community is unparalleled. Individual artists and
arts organizations representing all forms of art - creative writing,
dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts are formally
being invited to make the state-of-the-art Carr Center their home
and provide programming and activities to the community. The
Arts League's Resident Artists Program will make and support new
market relationships for artists and arts organizations. Our
artists will make this an "arts factory" - a place to market and
sell their products. In addition to being a regional
attraction, we expect the center to draw national attention and
audiences as being the only such "full-services" cultural arts venue
in the nation. That position is currently being enhanced
through national exhibitions and performances.
How
will the center be sustained?
Revenue
sources to ensure the long-term success of the facility include
multiple new revenue streams for endowment, facility rental,
membership, contributions, parking, concessions, cafeteria, retail
sales, user fees. The Building Our Future Campaign will serve
as the springboard for an endowment growth effort with a beginning
$1 million general operating endowment. The first full year of
building operation revenue for the year 2008 is projected as $2.05
million.
Will visitors be able to watch the artists do their work?
Yes!
One of the Carr Center's most uniquely interesting lures will be the
translucent openness of the building and the corresponding ability
to see the artists create their works in metals, acrylics, woods;
practice and prepare to perform all variety of visual and performing
art expressions.
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