The City of Bloomington released suggestions Monday for advancing art initiatives across the city.
Assistant Director for the Arts Holly Warren said collaborating with Trahan Architects to create recommendations will encourage citizens to invest not only in the arts, but in their community as well.
“We also see art as a way to really create community,” she said. “It just functions as a way to bring economic health into the city but also just to inspire our community members to feel more connected.”
The arts feasibility report started with Trahan and the city gathering statistics in late 2021. A draft highlighting five recommendations was created about six weeks ago, Warren said.
According to the city’s release, the recommendations include:
Preserving the Waldron Arts Center
Increasing community programming, specifically for the youth
No new standalone performing arts center
Creating an arts and culture incubator
Integrating arts and culture into the convention center
Warren said one of the primary reasons for the feasibility study was to determine if the Waldron has the resources to accommodate the needs of Bloomington arts, audiences, visitors and artists.
After Waldron ownership went back to the city from Ivy Tech, the mayor's office allocated about $500,000 to renovate its interior. Another $100,000 went towards the feasibility study, she said.
Read more: Stars align for future of Waldron Arts Center
“It's [the Waldron] always been community serving,” Warren said. “What we're looking to do is find some great local artist mentors and pair them with a group of students to do public art projects around town.”
Reopening the Waldron will increase youth programming in Bloomington. Another central reason for the study was to amplify usage of the convention center.
Warren asked herself, “How can we convince people to come to our convention center as opposed to others?”
The feasibility report’s answer is art.
“We want to use the vibrancy of the local art scene to just increase the vibrancy of folks' experience when they come,” Warren said.
A finalized public art master plan is expected in 2023.
