Crowdfunding campaign launched for ‘ArtPath | Public Art on the Lansing River Trail 2022’

$7,500 goal to win matching grant through MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places initiative

 

LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center will launch its newest public art initiative on the Lansing River Trail through the anticipated success of a crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $7,500 by May 17, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/artpath2022.

“This project combines public art, recreation, and community gathering to create one great placemaking initiative,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Michele Wildman. “We are pleased to support and provide resources for this project for the fifth year through our Public Spaces Community Places program.”

Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center has offered free summer public art exhibitions by Michigan artists for more than 12 years. Based on those past exhibitions' successes, ArtPath looks to expand its impact and efforts with a new summer festival, a new River Trail Clean Up, six Outdoor Artist Talks, and 20 new art installations.

To measure its impact, the organization installed a river trail counter on the trail and found an increase from 64,000 users to more than 82,000 users since ArtPath began in 2010, a 28 percent increase. A total of 292,000 visitors have walked, jogged, or biked the river trail during ArtPath. This project is creating free access to the arts for thousands of people while employing local artists.

“ArtPath has become an annual public art project along the Lansing River Trail that the community and artists look forward to. In our fifth year, we will activate and revitalize sites through a volunteer river trail clean-up, 20 new public art installations, and a community festival,” said Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center Exhibitions and Gallery Sales Director Katrina M. Daniels. “MEDC and Patronicity play an incredible role in community investment. With their support, we will not only be able to produce ArtPath, but we will also give the community an opportunity to invest in it as well.”

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

“The Michigan Municipal League is a firm believer in building community wealth in ways that enhance the human experience for all,” said Dan Gilmartin, the League’s CEO and Executive Director. “This art initiative on the Lansing River Trail speaks directly to the arts and culture pillar of community wealth building, and it will also expand upon the Lansing River Trail, which contributes to the public health pillar. This project will help in creating spaces within communities that will improve the human experience for everyone, which is what community wealth building is all about.”

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 March 31, 2022, MEDC has provided more than $9.8 million in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 307 projects have been successful in reaching their goal, with $11.4 million raised from 52,500 individual donors. Communities have a 97 percent success rate in achieving their goals and earning our matching funds.

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.