Council approves $10K arts center grant
Published 10:02 am Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Krystal Lennie, of Albert Lea, holds up an example of a finished painting while teaching Uncork and Create earlier this month. Herald file photo
The Austin City Council preliminarily approved a $10,000 grant Monday for Austin ArtWorks Center construction costs.
Council members had planned to set aside $10,000 for the arts center in this year’s budget, and the council unanimously voted to approve a grant during its work session.
Austin Area Commission for the Arts Executive Director Jennie Knoebel gave the council a description of the arts center’s activities, including its unique clay studio in the basement.
The arts center is scheduled to open on Aug. 21, the Thursday before this year’s Austin ArtWorks Festival. Knoebel said the commission has raised about $469,000 out of $600,000 thus far in a public campaign to fund the arts center renovation at 300 North Main Street inside the old Bank Building.
The council preliminarily planned to give $55,000 to Vision 2020-related projects in 2015.
The Mower County Board has yet to decide whether to fund a $15,000 grant request to fund student classes at the center.
