Crowdfunding campaign to turn vacant building on Detroit Community School campus into ‘Brightmoor Maker Space’

$25,000 goal to secure matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan today announced a new crowdfunding campaign through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. The campaign will help transform a vacant 3,200-square-foot building on the Detroit Community School campus into the Brightmoor Maker Space, a place for youth and adults to build their creative making skills and incubate business ideas.

If Brightmoor Maker Space attains its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 by July 10, MEDC will provide a $25,000 matching grant with funds made possible by the MEDC Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: https://www.patronicity.com/project/brightmoor_maker_space#/

“The Brightmoor Maker Space will open all kinds of new doors to youth and adults in the Brightmoor neighborhood that would not otherwise be accessible, and we’re pleased to partner in this effort,” said MEDC Community Development Director Katharine Czarnecki. “Public Spaces Community Places is a key tool MEDC has to help community partners fill critical funding gaps and bring projects to completion.”

Last fall, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation endorsed the Brightmoor Maker Space project, awarding the Stamps School a two-year $100,000 matching grant as part of the prestigious Knight Arts Challenge program in Detroit.

The crowdfunding campaign will help launch the first year of programming. The project will include the re-purposing of the vacant building, equipment and work tools as well as develop community resources and programs to support skills-building, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Gunalan Nadarajan, dean of the Stamps School, said, “The Brightmoor Maker Space will provide a much-needed physical space to expand the impact of our ongoing arts programming in the Brightmoor community. Stamps is committed to being a part of the reimagining of Detroit that is underway across the city, and fostering the role of creative making in that revitalization.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.