Crowdfunding campaign launched for “Inspired Hands” project in Fremont

$7,000 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

LANSING, Mich. – Downtown Fremont will gain a community mural at its main intersection through a new crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the city of Fremont announced today. The campaign is being offered through Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $7,000 by September 3, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/inspiredhands.

“Public art that involves the community in its creation is a prime example of placemaking,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Katharine Czarnecki. “We are pleased to provide resources for the Inspired Hands mural in Fremont through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

The city of Fremont has been working to enrich the lives of the city's residents, visitors and employees by creating an active downtown integrating community gathering areas and public art of many kinds. Inspired Hands is their latest project, creating an engaging public mural to be placed at the main intersection of downtown Fremont.

The mural, designed by Fremont artist Renae Wallace, will include an opportunity for community members to be a part of the project, with more than 200 community hands installed as part of the mural. It is designed to be approximately 10 feet tall and 18 feet wide and will bring together locals in its creation and enjoyment.

“The MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program continues to give the city of Fremont the opportunity to further our public art program for citizens and visitors,” said Fremont Mayor James M. Rynberg. “Inspired Hands, this latest project by a local artist, will be prominently affixed to a downtown building owned by a local businessman and will represent our seventeenth art installation. We are thankful for the generosity of the community and MEDC’s crowdfunding program. The program remains a representative method of recognizing what makes our community more complete.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity, in which 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, nonprofits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“Incorporating public art into a city’s downtown is key to great placemaking,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and executive director of the Michigan Municipal League. “Fremont’s current art project will be particularly memorable for the city as it engages the talent of a local artist as well as community members themselves.”

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of June 24, 2019, MEDC has provided $6,580,696 in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 215 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $7.7 million raised from 40,243 individual donors.

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.