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SPOTLIGHT
ON THE ARTS - January 2006 by Deanna Mascle A Divine Plan
The building was home to the First United Methodist Church until 2001, when the congregation moved to a new facility and sold the Main Street building to the Council for the Arts. The Council’s efforts to renovate the building recently received a financial boost with a $150,000 grant from Kentucky’s Renaissance on Main program, a downtown revitalization effort focused on economic development and job creation. “Arts centers are proving to be a wonderful way to revitalize downtowns across the country,” notes Cay Lane, executive director of the Montgomery County Council for the Arts. “So often, historic buildings are left to ruin because of neglect or inability to find a practical usage for them. We are fortunate in that this building is ideal for the arts. We will be able to bring our programming under one roof and provide plays, music and literary performances in a state-of-the-art performance hall.” “Our short-term goal is to raise another $600,000 by this spring so that the renovations will begin,” Lane explains. “If we have these funds in hand we will be able to complete the renovations within 12 months, which means we will begin to launch expanded arts programming for our region in 2007.” With the renovation, the Gallery for the Arts will expand into a space twice its current size, allowing the Council to present exhibits with larger works and/or multiple exhibits. Along with the gallery will be the development of a larger art shop, where local and regional artists may sell their art work. A library/resource center will provide informational assistance to students, teachers, artists, hobbyists, and other interested individuals, and will also feature a board room/conference room. A fully fitted classroom space, complete with sinks and appropriate lighting, will be available for visual arts instruction. The downstairs area will consist of a prop shop as well as a “green room” reception area and a full kitchen, which will be available to rent for parties, receptions, etc. Once completed, the new center is expected to play a vital role in the community’s economic development efforts as well. “Companies are looking to relocate their employees in communities that offer a well-rounded quality of life,” explains Lane, “and that includes opportunities in the arts that they have been accustomed to. The Gateway Regional Center for the Arts will be a place where all the arts will be represented and presented under one roof.” Deanna Mascle is a
staff writer for The Lane Report. |
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Copyright 1996-2006, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content is copyright 2006,
Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
The Montgomery County Council for the Arts has been creating successful arts programs and events since 1992, but in 2002 they took on their greatest challenge – transforming an historic Main Street church into the Gateway Regional Center for the Arts. 
Still, the renovation of the old church comes at a price. Fundraising efforts over the past 18 months have included pledges, donations, and grants to raise $700,000, including the $150,000 grant. However, more is still needed.